Scars
by Lady AngelFiren
Summary: [UPDATED NOV-29-04 CHAPTER 31 ADDED] Sometimes in life, you wake up to a smack in the face. For Gohan, Videl and Mirai Trunks, life has delivered a whole dump truck full of unexpected twists. (Romance, AU, Drama, Angst) R&R!
1. prologue & Ch01

TITLE: Scars  
AUTHOR: Lady AngelFiren  
CATEGORY: Romance/Friendship/General RATING: PG13 so far, but knowing me, we'll be R or NC17 before long  
CHARACTERS: Fic centers around Mirai Trunks and Gohan. Videl, Goku, Vegeta, young Trunks, and Goten are also pretty frequent  
WARNINGS: A/U; potential angst/suspense; yaoi/shounen ai;  
NOTES: This fic is an Alternate Universe fic. It is set after Gohan completes two years of high school and graduates. He is 19, soon to be 20. Mirai Trunks is 20. Videl and Gohan never married in this story, rather they are best friends. Young Trunks is 11, and Goten is 10.  
  
Scars - Prologue  
  
Mirai Trunks tried to clear the tears out of his eyes, but it was a futile effort. Every time his fingers wiped the salty tears away, fresh ones would take their place, leaving him bleary-eyed and more than a little unhappy. All around him was the very most disturbing sound he could think of after screams of pain; silence. But for the lonely wind twisting in unsettled gusts over the sandblasted remains of planet Earth, there was only silence to greet the young half-saiyajin's ears.  
  
A small pile of fresh dirt marked the grave of his late mother, Bulma Briefs. Scientist extraordinaire, as well as loving mother and friend to Trunks, her death was pivotal in his life. She was everything, she was the only thing he had left, the only other person he could relate to even a little bit, and now she was being eaten by worms in the dirt before his sightless eyes.  
  
Trunks' body was littered with scars, his smooth flesh was marked in a hundred places by the evidence of many battles. It seemed that no part of the young man was left untouched by the destruction that androids seventeen and eighteen had wreaked on Earth throughout his life. Even his face was marked, there was a large scar (paler than the rest of his skin thanks to time) running from his right brow all the way down his cheek. Another scar traced his left jaw, continuing across his throat. These pale marks showed over the rest of him, crisscrossing his arms and back and chest. But there were wounds inside his mind that were still raw with his intense grief, and these smarted far worse than any of Trunks' physical wounds ever had. All of Trunks' memories, dating back as far as he could recall, were influenced by the thoughtless actions of the two androids. Trunks' mind was damaged far more severely than his pretty face ever would be, for he could not forget everything they had done, and although they were dead, and had been dead for two years, their actions continued to ripple across the planet, thanks to the laws of cause and effect.  
  
Trunks was grateful for many things. The one upon which light currently shone was that his beloved mother had not been killed in violence, rather she had died in her sleep, peacefully. It still unnerved Trunks that after all the people he'd watched being buried, the first person he'd ever had to dig a grave for by himself was his own mother. Even when his master and teacher Son Gohan had been killed, Trunks had not been the one to dig his grave or bury him, there had been more people left alive at that time, more people to grieve over the loss of their most powerful ally in the war against the androids.  
  
Now that the war was over, Trunks found himself completely alone. He knew of colonies of people who were quite successfully rebuilding their civilization -he also knew that he was welcome to live in any one of these colonies- but he felt entirely too oppressed by his own mind. He saw inside himself weaknesses that proved he couldn't handle trying to rebuild alongside the others left alive. Of course they could relate, they had all lost huge parts of their lives, loved ones, memories, everything was razed to the ground. But Trunks... he was the only being left on the planet with any saiyajin blood in him, and for that, he felt that he could never stay amongst others.  
  
And so, Trunks had decided to travel back to the other timeline and see if he could piece together some kind of life there. He ached to see living, smiling faces; he ached to stop crying long enough to relax.  
  
Trunks wiped his face again, this time with more finality in his movements. He turned his focus away from Bulma's resting place and walked towards the strange looking contraption that he had used before. The Time Machine. He had everything he thought he would need, mostly personal things, some food and water, a change of clothes... he was ready to go.  
  
With a heavy sigh, Trunks climbed into the Time Machine and forced himself to stop crying. He had too much pride to head into the other timeline looking like a kicked puppy. After he calmed himself and took a last look around, Mirai Trunks set the co-ordinates and watched the world melt away as he switched timelines.  
  
Scars - Chapter 01  
  
Son Gohan prided himself on being a good person. He made decisions based on his moral code -he simply didn't do things he felt were wrong in his heart- he never intentionally said or did anything to hurt someone else, and for this, he was granted the privilege of riding the flying nimbus high above the other clouds with the nighttime air slipping refreshingly over his face and fair moonlight giving his already pale skin an ethereal tone.  
  
Gohan was thinking over some things that he felt were very important. He was supposed to go to university in a few months, but he was unsure... he was a little scared that if he followed his mother's wishes and became a successful doctor or teacher or lawyer, then he would never live up to his full potential in his father's eyes. Now, of course his father had been absent for a huge portion of his life, and Gohan had never really grown close to Goku since his return from Otherworld, but Gohan was quite certain that Goku was somehow disappointed in him. Well, maybe not disappointed... more like ... alienated. Goku seemed to prefer pretending everything was like it had been before, and he did so continuously, despite the fact that Gohan was quite uncomfortable around the man he felt guilty of murdering several years before.  
  
Gohan had difficulty forgiving. When someone hurt him, he did not hold any grudge, rather he simply found himself unable to just up and wipe people's mistakes away with words. He needed for actions to be present to speak louder than any forgiving words could. In that sense, Gohan felt like he'd killed his own dad by not destroying Cell when he was told to do so the first chance he got. He was completely unable to give himself any leeway when it came to forgiving his own actions. Gohan's deep-seated guilt had led to a strong sense of dislike for himself that he could not shake, no matter how he tried. He wasn't specifically aware of not liking himself, it was rather that he didn't tend to think of himself in a positive light. Although he had many positive attributes to boast, he never did anything of the sort. Gohan was a master at blending in and hanging low. He managed to go through two years of high school without making very many friends, and in that time, only a handful of people got to know him past just his name.  
  
Now it was off to university, where Gohan intended to do exactly the same thing. However, it was getting more difficult, there were people who were trying to get involved in Gohan's life, no matter how hard he tried to make himself seem like a waste of time to others. Videl was badgering Gohan incessantly with attention; she would call him some evenings just to chat, she was always asking him to teach her more fighting techniques, and she seemed really concerned with Gohan's opinion about her recent decisions. Videl had elected to go to college and become a police officer, which Gohan had mixed feelings about. He didn't want her to get hurt, but he knew she was strong and that she could usually take care of her own business. Gohan tried not to give any opinion one way or another, because he worried that Videl would listen to him and that he might say the wrong thing to her. He was sorely lacking in the confidence department.  
  
It had been a difficult leap of faith to reveal his saiyajin nature and his inhuman powers to Satan Videl. However, Gohan had discovered that there were also benefits to trusting a non-Z-fighter as a close friend. Videl had her share of woman's intuition, and she made herself available to Gohan when he needed to blow off some steam. The large half-saiyajin tried not to go to Videl for advice, comfort, and company, but these attempts were futile. Gohan was growing up to be quite a troubled man; all the secrecy of his high school years weighed heavily on his shoulders. He still, however, had no desire to stand up in front of people and announce his strange heritage, it was something he felt was much more private than that, it wasn't so much a novelty to be super powerful, as a gift that he had to take painstaking care to protect.  
  
At the present, Gohan was heading towards Satan City. He'd given up on playing superhero after the incidences with Majin Buu, deciding that he could do better protecting the world on a grand scale, and leave the everyday crime fighting to the proper authorities. Being Saiyaman made Gohan feel very separate from humans in general, and he much preferred to exercise his mind than his fists. Gohan was learning that people were brilliant when it came to thoughts and ideas, every person he met seemed to have new ideas and angles on topics that Gohan thought he already knew plenty about. He very much enjoyed hearing a fresh perspective, he liked it so much, in fact, that he was finding this to be his motivation for heading to university to become a teacher.  
  
Gohan hopped off of the flying nimbus and gave the cloud a handsome smile, watching it zip quickly up into the sky to wait for his next summons.  
  
The dark-haired man was standing on Videl's balcony, which was where he tended to land if he was looking to chat. He rapped his knuckles quietly on her patio door, hoping that she wasn't asleep. He could feel her energy inside the room, but it was low, relaxed. And it was after dark, his mother and father were asleep at home in their beds, having no knowledge of Gohan's nighttime flight into the city.  
  
The vertical blinds that shielded Videl's bedroom from Gohan's view were pushed aside by a hand. A pair of large curious blue eyes blinked up at Gohan, and a pleased smile flickered to Videl's lips. She unlocked the balcony door and opened it, stepping outside in her pajamas. Said pajamas consisted of a pair of light pants with a drawstring, and an old t-shirt that Videl didn't wear out anymore. She slid the door shut behind her and moved past Gohan to look out over Satan City.  
  
"Couldn't sleep, Gohan?" she asked, flickering her gaze to him from the corner of her eye.  
  
Gohan came to rest against the balcony railing beside her, his general warmth making Videl lean just a touch closer to him, as it was breezy up on the second floor on summer nights.  
  
"Yeah... were you sleeping? I was thinking a lot about yesterday..."  
  
Videl's eyebrows quirked with interest. The day before, Gohan had told her over the phone that he had decided to go to university to study the history of civilization, and from there, that he wanted to become a history teacher. Videl hadn't expected that, she saw him as more of the math or English type. She'd told him as much, and they hadn't really talked more, it seemed he needed some time to think. Gohan was always like that, say anything to him, and he was required a gestation period before he could make any constructive sense out of advice or opinion. Videl had advised him time and again that he shouldn't brood so much, but he always gave her a helpless look, as if to say that he didn't know any other way to go about making decisions for himself.  
  
'I don't want to make any mistakes that I'll regret Videl...' -that was always his answer whenever she poked at him for his worrying.  
  
Videl turned her face so she could see Gohan's expression more clearly. He was often like an open book, easy to read after a little attention to detail. His eyes usually showed all of what he was thinking about, and Videl had spent enough time around Gohan that she had figured most of his expressions out already. At the moment he was looking at the grounds below the balcony, where a large rectangular swimming pool rippled slightly from the breeze. His brows were drawn together, signifying that he was thinking about it still... brooding again.  
  
"Gohan relax... I know they're big decisions for you, but you'll do the right thing, and no matter how long you spend trying to figure out if you're going to mess up, it'll still happen if its bound to happen. So quit worrying so much. Come on Gohan, give me a smile, kay?"  
  
Gohan frowned more at his friend's words, but he smiled helplessly, wringing his hands on the balcony railing. Videl put an arm around him and rubbed his back some. She watched his powerful fingers relax, his wringing movements stopping as she offered him some comfort. Gohan looked at her for a moment and returned his eyes to the pool below.  
  
"Do you think my mom will be happy?"  
  
Videl shook her head, grinning at him. "Duh, you're going to be a teacher, what more could she possibly want? She'll get down in the dirt and kiss your feet if you go through with all this and you know it. You already know the answer to your question, I think you're trying to avoid something. Have you talked to your dad yet about what you're doing?"  
  
Gohan stiffened under Videl's hand, his fingers tightening on the balcony rail once more at the mention of his father. He hadn't said anything to Goku yet about going to university and such. Gohan told himself that he was waiting for the right time to explain what he was doing to his dad, but it was more that he was avoiding Goku altogether. His jaw tightened and he swallowed his words, giving something of a grunt instead. Videl frowned.  
  
"Jeeze Gohan you gotta talk to him sometime, come on now, Goku is, like, the most easygoing person on the planet, you can tell him, you know he'll be pleased that you're even talking to him. I'll bet after being gone for so long he's really proud that you're strong enough to take care of yourself and that you turned out well despite his absence. Don't you think so too? What's stopping you? You always tell me such good things about him..."  
  
"Videl quit it. You know I can't just... just... go up to him and act like everything is great. You don't understand... dad isn't thoughtful about stuff. He's... hn... forget it... I should go."  
  
Videl felt herself becoming very frustrated. Gohan was always running away when it came to talking about his dad, every time she pried or even mentioned Goku, it was like hitting a very sore spot in him, and he would try to change the subject. Whenever he couldn't change the subject, he'd remove himself from the conversation by leaving. Now Gohan was shrugging out of Videl's touch and climbing over the railing to hop into the air. The blue-eyed girl grabbed his wrist.  
  
"Gohan wait, don't leave... I'm sorry... I know you don't like talking about your dad... I was being an ass, I'm sorry, ok? Stay...?"  
  
Videl's eyes crawled over Gohan's face to lock with his, which were dark and troubled. Gohan didn't pull out of Videl's fingertips, he let her restrain him from flying away. Slowly he floated down to face Videl, standing on the air in front of her. "I want to go home Videl... I'll talk to you later... tomorrow or something... now isn't good."  
  
"Well if you didn't want to talk then you wouldn't have flown all the way here! Obviously you do want to tell me something... you wouldn't keep talking to me all the time if you didn't. Grrr, Gohan you're really frustrating... I want to help you and you keep dodging out of the way every time a subject comes up that's tender. You can't get better if you don't talk to someone. I'm your best friend..."  
  
"Well since when was I sick? Get better? There isn't anything wrong with me... I just have lots I have to think about."  
  
"Bullshit, you've been weird ever since Goku came back. Come to think of it, you've been weird ever since I met you... *frown* but since he got back its been very different. You think I'm not serious? Can you even disagree with me on this one? I know there's no way you'll relax enough to say much tonight, but Gohan whenever you're ready to explain what bothers you so much about him, I'll be here to listen, kay? Go home and get some sleep, you look tired."  
  
Gohan swallowed thickly, feeling confused by Videl's sudden desire to know more about his thoughts. Why were his thoughts and feelings so important to her? Well... she did talk to him whenever he could coax it out of her, but they were both so darned stubborn that it usually ended in something of an argument before they could really get down to anything serious. There were lots of times where they did have more serious conversations, but tonight it just wasn't going to happen. Gohan was in no mood to be talking about how he was feeling and what he was thinking. On the contrary, he'd come to Videl's window mostly because he felt lonely and he wanted to be close to someone. He liked the way she rubbed his back for him when he was tense, there was no other person in his life who ever did anything of the sort.  
  
Gohan decided to head home without the flying nimbus to keep him company. He took his time an glided atop the clouds on his back for a long while, just looking up a the stars and wondering about his future. He tried very hard to put the past and present out of his mind. The future held the sort of hope that lifted Gohan's spirits, and it made him feel marginally lighter inside to focus on the good things that might happen someday.  
  
+++++++++++++++++  
  
Back in the comfortable safety of his mountain home, Goku had his thick arms wrapped about his wife, his chin and nose nestled in her loose raven hair, his lips moving slightly against her to feel the softness of her silky tresses. His eyes were open and aware, though he was not focused on anything in the line of his vision. Goku's thoughts and senses were tuned into his first-born son. Gohan sometimes left at night to get some air, occasionally he even met up with Videl for a bit, but usually he stayed out alone, doing whatever it was that his restless mind told him to do instead of getting his rest. Goku often woke at small fluctuations in the boy's ki, because he was watching for it, keeping an eye on his son, just to make sure he was alright.  
  
It was very frustrating to live with Gohan. Goku had learned that in his absence of seven years, his son had managed to almost completely take his place. Gohan protected ChiChi and Goten, he taught Goten things that Goku had taught him when he was small... he even enforced discipline if ChiChi wasn't around, and it was obvious that Gohan did not want to give up his position as leader and protector of his family. Furthermore, he was quiet and withdrawn whenever Goku asked him about things like his friends, his schoolwork... even when he asked about little things like if he was having a good day or if he had enjoyed breakfast that morning. Gohan would ignore Goku, he'd walk away from him abruptly. He would growl in warning sometimes whenever Goku upset Goten by accident, and the boy hadn't looked Goku in the eyes since he'd come back, not once. Goku was certain he'd seen many different things in Gohan's eyes when he tried to get a good look at them, most often there was worry, followed by anger and frustration, and lastly there was dissatisfaction and discomfort. Goku was quite overwhelmed by how far he'd been pushed from Gohan's side, and so he tried instead to focus on his wife and younger son to make up for the things he couldn't share with Gohan.  
  
Sensing his son's return to his room, Goku sighed and kissed ChiChi's hair, shifting his arms around her and closing his eyes against the pillow. Worry never helped anything, it only made the things he could not change sting more when he thought about them. 


	2. Ch02

Scars - Chapter 02  
  
Mirai Trunks arrived in the other timeline during the night. The co- ordinates he'd set would place him into a time where Gohan was about his age, and where his younger self was roughly half his age. He thought that it would be best to go about it this way because it would give him a chance to chat with the other Trunks. When he had been eleven, Mirai Trunks had known he was really intelligent; it upset him that all of his ideas were wasted on trying to think of ways to kill the androids.  
  
Trunks' co-ordinates for the Time Machine not only included a specific moment in time, but they directed him to a pre-determined spot on the Earth as well. For this journey, Trunks had chosen the backyard of Capsule Corporation, because the only people he wanted to know about his initial arrival were Bulma and Vegeta. He frowned when he felt a fresh wave of tears threatening to consume him and keep him from getting out of machine. He lowered his energy so that his father would not sense him, and took as deep of a breath as he could gather, holding it and wiping his eyes dry yet again.  
  
'I can do this... they are my family, they'll let me stay... of course they will. Dad... I left with his blessing last time... I remember that. He'll let me stay and be a part of their family.... Please, please, please...'  
  
When Trunks was fairly stable, he pushed the release for the top of the machine and it popped open, giving him his first breath of clean, fresh air. He took a second breath and worried that he would start crying again, but he remained calm this time around and climbed out of the machine, re- capsulating it and slipping it into his dino-caps case. Trunks bent down in the dewy green grass and ran a hand over its perfect softness, feeling like something of an escaped mental patient, but being unable to help himself. A glow of light from the large CC dome where Trunks knew his family was caught his attention. Akin to a man possessed, he allowed his shaky legs to carry him towards his....home?  
  
+++++++++++++++  
  
Inside the building, young Trunks was already in bed, sprawled over his covers haphazardly with his fuzzy green ferret plushie curled against him. He always hid the ferret from his father, because he knew it would be frowned upon as a weakness, but he loved it dearly and couldn't sleep a wink without it. Below Trunks, Bulma and Vegeta were still awake, sharing the loveseat in the TV room and looking rather relaxed and sleepy.  
  
Bulma had her head on Vegeta's shoulder and a hand splayed over his middle, so that she could feel his breathing as she struggled to keep her eyes open for the rest of the movie they were watching. Vegeta had his gloves off, which was a rare sight indeed, considering he sometimes even slept in them. His fingers were laced with Bulma's over his stomach, and his other hand curled around her waist to keep her close to him. Such calm and peaceful moments were definitely scarce in the Briefs household, but they did happen every once in awhile, perhaps to keep the heads of the house assured that they needed one another in some way.  
  
The peaceful moment was interrupted by knocking on the rear door. Bulma stirred, removing her hand from Vegeta's middle and yawning as she directed her sleepy eyes to the clock. Vegeta gave something of a growl and removed himself from the couch, donning his gloves and heading to the door with a halfhearted glare. He wasn't quite in the mood to deal with anybody who would be knocking at their back door, because that usually included only z- fighters, namely Kakarot, though he tended not to knock so much as just appear out of thin air.  
  
Vegeta yanked the door open and spat a 'what do you want' at the young man on the other side of it, blinking in surprise when he recognized the creature standing there as his son from the future. He swallowed his surprise and struggled to place a firm expression on his face, but he did look rather bewildered despite his efforts.  
  
Trunks appeared to be exhausted, that was Vegeta's first impression. He was not in bad health -he had his colour and didn't look thin or neglected- but there were dark circles under his eyes, which were puffy and red, obviously from some rather intense crying. Vegeta felt distaste at seeing his son looking so pathetic, but he supposed it was better than if the boy had showed up still crying. He gave Trunks a snort and looked over him slowly, his eyes resting on the two large, angry looking scars that were visible on his face. He wondered what had happened, and stepped aside to allow the brat into his home. He closed the door behind Trunks, catching Bulma entering the kitchen from the TV room. He heard her gasp in surprise and felt Trunks' energy shift significantly when his eyes came to rest upon his mother.  
  
"Mom..." he whispered, his voice cracking. It was much lower than Vegeta remembered it, more similar to his own, except softer, more boyish. He looked at Trunks' long messy hair and his very well-loved, however clean clothes. He was unsure of what to say or do just yet, so he folded his arms uncomfortably and took to watching Trunks and Bulma.  
  
Bulma came awake quickly when she saw Trunks. She looked him over with worry, fearing that he might have come here because of some deadly wound he had suffered, but upon seeing no blood, she made her way to him and folded the large young man into a tight hug. Her hand came up to stroke his hair for a brief space, and she could feel Trunks shivering against her with emotion. His arms wrapped around her and he lifted her a little off her feet so that he could hug her more tightly to him. Bulma began to suspect why Trunks had come here. He was refusing to let her go; she coughed for lack of air and whispered Trunks' name.  
  
"Trunks, honey, what happened?" she asked, regaining her footing and blinking up at him. He had grown, he was taller than her and Vegeta now, closer to Gohan and Goku's height, though not quite. He appeared to be in good health, he looked strong and firm, though his hair was very pale compared to his younger counterpart. Bulma guessed that this was because Mirai Trunks spent so much time under the sun, and his double liked to hide inside and play with machines and computers. Bulma's hands came up to trace the scar on Trunks' cheek. He winced helplessly at the touch and stepped out of her reach.  
  
Trunks pushed his hands into his pockets and looked at his feet, finding it hard to look at Bulma. "M-mom died...." He said finally, his voice cracking against his will. Bulma made a sound of acknowledgement and flickered her eyes to Vegeta for a little help. Vegeta glowered at Bulma with an expression that said 'what do you expect me to do, woman?', but he uncrossed his arms and cleared his throat.  
  
"You will stay here... I will show you to a room, come along brat."  
  
"Thank you father," Trunks said, leaving Bulma's searching focus to follow his father out of the room and up the stairs to a guest room. Vegeta pushed a door open and entered into one of the rooms in a long hall. Trunks followed him obediently. There was a queen sized bed, and a wall of large windows, as this room was on the outside of the dome. A few pieces of furniture filled up the room, and there was a door that Trunks suspected led to a private restroom. Trunks murmured thanks to Vegeta, expecting him to leave, but the prince did not.  
  
"Brat, aside from the woman's death, how have you been?" Vegeta leveled his serious black eyes on his son, who sat tiredly on the bed.  
  
"I've... well a lot of people are rebuilding cities... growing crops... doing a lot of salvaging, though there isn't much left. They'll be alright..."  
  
"I have no interest in what the humans in your time are wasting their lives trying to accomplish, I asked how it has been with you."  
  
"Me?"  
  
"Ah."  
  
"Well... the same I guess... only no androids. They put up a good fight before I defeated them... they tricked me. I was more powerful, but in the time that I spent fighting with everyone here, they kidnapped mom and used her as bait to let them catch me. They gave me these," Trunks gestured to the slice that had long ago healed over his eye and cheek, and to the one that ran from his jaw to his throat, "but in the end I was stronger and I destroyed them. I took mom back home and things were just... I guess peaceful after that. But she was getting older.... I mean.... because of everything that happened, she went gray, and slept more... eventually she died in her sleep a few days ago. I.... I buried her, and came here. I'm not going back there, whether I stay here or not. I'm not going back to that time."  
  
Vegeta studied Trunks in complete silence, tracing the scars on his face with his eyes, and looking over the rest of him. "You have been through enough, you will stay here, you can baby-sit your younger self, whom, I might add, will likely be pleased to have something of a big brother. Get some rest, we will continue this in the morning. Goodnight, brat."  
  
"Thank you father, goodnight."  
  
Vegeta left the room, closing the door with a soft click and returning downstairs to have a snack before bed. Bulma wanted to know what he and Trunks had talked about, but Vegeta remained tight-lipped as he stuffed his face, much to Bulma's annoyance. She headed off to bed, followed roughly ten minutes later by the saiyajin prince. 


	3. Ch03

Scars - Chapter 03  
  
Son Goku was the first to rise the following morning. He stirred sometime just after the sun broke over the horizon, and shifted out from ChiChi's arms, which were wrapped around him loosely. ChiChi made a soft sigh in her sleep and Goku grew still, not wanting to wake her, although the prospect of breakfast could not have been more tempting. He had other things to do.  
  
After stretching indolently and laying with his eyes pinned to the brightening ceiling for a few minutes, the broad-chested hero blinked the sleep from his eyes and got out of bed. He moved to the other side of the room and began a series of light stretches. This was Goku's way of beginning every day. He felt that keeping his body fit and limber was pretty much the biggest personal goal in his life. He loved his family and watched them grow and change around him, and although the warrior knew that he had also changed, he never lost the desire to perfect himself physically. Goku prided himself on his form, not to impress others, but because his body was his most cherished tool, especially considering that both his common sense and his ability to solve problems were somewhat lacking.  
  
Goku finished his stretches and proceeded to head outside, where the Son family's bath was. He filled the oversized tub with water from the hose and used a bit of ki to warm the water to a desirable temperature. There was a regular bathroom and a shower inside, but Goku had his reasons for sticking to his habit of bathing under the sky. The air was fresh here, and the sun felt nice on his bare chest. Furthermore, Goku had built his home himself, and before Bulma had butt in and had electricity and running water installed all over the house, there had only been the bath outside. Being a creature of routine and habit despite his strange and unorganized life, Goku preferred to stick with what he was comfortable with.  
  
Fresh and much more awake, Goku wrapped a towel around his waist and returned to the bedroom he shared with ChiChi. He changed into a fresh orange gi with a blue sash and wristbands, and dried his hair off with the towel, tossing it over a chair that sat in the corner of the room. ChiChi would pick it up long after Goku forgot his careless action, and she wouldn't complain either, she just didn't do things like that. ChiChi liked playing housewife, Goku knew that much for sure. He was happy that she did, although it really stressed him out when he thought about the brief conversations he'd shared with her on the topic of his unemployment. ChiChi had urged him to look for work, but Goku was stubborn. He managed to put it off until his wife forgot about bothering to nag him any longer. In that sense, Goku felt mothered by ChiChi almost as much as he felt married to her. It was kind of nice though, he'd never had a mother, and his wife was strong. She could handle things pretty much by herself while he was off dealing with the consequences of saving the world, like death. Of course staying dead had been Goku's choice, but he'd long ago convinced himself that it was a good decision that benefited the Earth as a whole, and nobody had been able to change his mind on that front so far.  
  
ChiChi was still asleep. Goku looked at her peaceful form, and smiled slightly, feeling like a very lucky man to be loved by such a dramatic and intense woman. As much as he would have liked for her to keep on sleeping, he was hungry and helpless to cook for himself. Goku crawled onto the bed and laid down beside ChiChi, putting an arm around her and shifting her close to him. She began to wake from the movement.  
  
"Chi... wake up... I'm hungry."  
  
Goku's stomach punctuated this claim by growling eagerly. ChiChi's eyes opened and she looked both happy that her husband was holding her, and displeased that she was pulled from her slumber. Her mouth moved but she had yet to find her voice. She cleared her throat and pushed weakly against this chest.  
  
"I can't feed you if you've got me pinned here Goku. Sleep well?"  
  
Goku shrugged, he tended not to sleep too soundly now that he was back. It was strange to have a ki as powerful as Gohan's in the house, although that wasn't the problem. It was more that Gohan seemed to have a loose hold over his power in his sleep, and his dreams, be they pleasant or dark, caused his energy to fluctuate a lot when he slept. Goku was getting used to it though. He smiled and gave ChiChi a friendly kiss. He rubbed her back and nodded, never one to confide small discomforts in someone who worried as much as ChiChi did. She worried out loud, which was what discouraged him so much from sharing certain things with her. But when he thought about it, Goku knew he wouldn't have her any other way, because she was someone he could understand -she wore her heart on her sleeve- and that is exactly what he needed in a companion. Well, that and good cooking, of course.  
  
"Well good, wake the boys up, and I'll fix breakfast."  
  
"Breakfast sounds great! It feels like I haven't eaten in a week!"  
  
"Goku you never change..." ChiChi bestowed a warm smile on Goku before her face turned more serious. "Now Goten has studying to do today and he promised that he'd have all of it done before lunch, so he'd better get up soon or he's not going to be allowed to play with Trunks today. They caused a lot of trouble yesterday... Trunks talked Goten into baking pie at CC... *shudder* Goku we should get that boy another friend... Trunks is so much like his awful father, he's influencing Goten!"  
  
Goku tuned out much of what ChiChi said to him, but he frowned unhappily when ChiChi insulted Vegeta. He respected the man immensely, despite his superior strength.  
  
"Chi, Goten can make some of his own decisions about things like who he's friends with. When I was nine me and Bulma had lotsa fun, and nobody ever told me I shouldn't be fiends with her, even if we did blow a lot of stuff up and make trouble sometimes. We didn't mean to... I don't think Trunks and Goten do either. Ok... maybe Trunks does... but he's good inside."  
  
"Can he ride the nimbus, Goku?"  
  
"Er... no..."  
  
"Well, then he isn't good at all, he's going to get our baby boy into trouble!!"  
  
"But ChiChi... they're best friends! They're both half saiyajin too... you think finding Goten some human friends is a good thing? He might hurt them by accident, at least with Trunks you know you don't have to talk to some kid's parents and try to explain how they were accidentally killed playing tag, or blown up, or...or...whatever."  
  
"Hey, its your job to teach Goten to control his strength. If you're telling me that he's a menace to anybody without saiyajin strength, then I think you're slacking off Son Goku! Never mind playing with Trunks this afternoon, I want you to take him to meet some new friends!"  
  
"Me? But... where do I take him? Why can't he just play with Trunks like always?"  
  
Goku's head was starting to hurt. He was really beginning to wish that he'd left ChiChi sleeping soundly, as her voice was awful to hear screeching first thing in the morning. He pouted in frustration, his hand slowing to a stop on her back. Goku honestly did not see any reason to change something when it wasn't harmful or broken or bad somehow. As mentioned, he was a creature of habit and routine.  
  
"Don't argue with me Goku, I want you to take him to meet some other boys his age. And don't bring Trunks!"  
  
Goku sighed and unwound his arms from around his wife, feeling frustrated but cornered. It was not his position to talk back to ChiChi on these things. He wasn't a very good father sometimes, and he was even worse when it came to planning for a bright and healthy future where Gohan and Goten were concerned. He thought that taking care of themselves and making good decisions should be their job. He could only guide them in bright directions, he couldn't physically separate Goten from Trunks and force Goten to make new friends on a whim. But ChiChi was now glaring at him with that frying-pan-thwapping look in her eyes. Goku swallowed and nodded in submission.  
  
"Ok Chichi, me and Goten will go do something this afternoon. *dramatic sigh* But if he has to do that then can me and Gohan and him spar this morning? He can do schoolwork tomorrow..."  
  
"Goku if you put off until tomorrow what you can do today, you won't get anywhere in life!"  
  
"But we can spar today! When are we supposed to do that?"  
  
"Work it out, Goten has to study this morning. Now if you want breakfast, go and get him up and tell him to take a shower. Oh, and we should ask Gohan about what he's decided to take in university... that's coming up in a few weeks, at least that's what he said. Ooh... my little boy is growing up, he's going to be so successful..." ChiChi clasped her hands together in the middle of getting dressed, looking at Goku with a pleased smile.  
  
Goku blinked at her in confusion. "University?"  
  
ChiChi quirked her brows at him. "Well of course, hasn't he told you yet? I was going to, but he asked me not to because he said he wanted to explain it to you himself. Don't tell me you forgot! Goku that's horrible! You should be ashamed of yourself!"  
  
"I didn't forget, Gohan never told me about that... actually he never really tells me much at all. *frown* You know, since I got back he doesn't like me..."  
  
"Nonsense, I won't have you spouting that silly rubbish about our son, Gohan loves you as much now as he ever did. Go wake Goten up, I have breakfast to make."  
  
Goku left the room, feeling incredibly helpless and frustrated with the whole experience of trying to have a conversation with his wife. It seemed to him that he had not been trying at all, and that the conversation just came and jumped him from out of nowhere. And now he had to be the bearer of bad news to Goten about not being allowed to play with Trunks later. Goku doubted that Goten would do any schoolwork or studying at all if he wasn't allowed to see Trunks afterwards. It had been a well-balanced little reward system, and ChiChi had unwittingly stomped all over it.  
  
In the back of Goku's mind, his elder son's face flickered, the expression on it cold, the way Gohan tended to look at him. OK, that was wrong, he wasn't cold... he was just distant... as if he felt alienated or something. Goku pushed Goten's door open, trying not to think about Gohan for the time being. 


	4. Ch04

Scars - Chapter 04  
  
While Goku was puzzling over why his eldest son so despised him, Mirai Trunks had his face washed in fresh morning sunlight. A small content smile graced his lips. His long hair was splayed haphazardly over the cool feather pillow, and he had a sheet tangled around his legs and draped over the lower part of his torso. He was breathing slowly in his undisturbed slumber, clearly enjoying his long rest. He hadn't slept in a fresh clean bed with cushy pillows and breezy sheets for many years.  
  
On the other side of the door to Mirai Trunks' temporary room, stood his eleven-year-old counterpart. This Trunks' hair was cropped short in his classic bowl-cut. His face was harsh, looking distinctly Vegeta-esque as he glared with immense curiosity at the door behind which he felt a large power. The ki was identical to his own, and so he had already figured out who was behind the door, but he was itching to know what was going on. Why was the other Trunks here? In his house? Trunks was never one to wait around for answers to come and smack him on the ass, so he opened the door and stepped into the room, lowering his ki so that his family wouldn't come and tell him to leave the other Trunks alone. He pushed the door gingerly shut behind him and stood against it, peering about the room.  
  
Of course his eyes immediately landed upon the figure that slept on his back in the huge bed. Trunks inhaled through his nose, smelling that his other self was dusty and in need of a shower. He smelled kind of strange... even though they were the same person, the other Trunks' scent was different. Young Trunks chalked this up to Mirai Trunks' age. Of course the boy had read all kinds of books, he knew that people changed when they got older and that their bodies did different things and produced different chemicals, which of course would make the older Trunks smell a little differently than he himself did.  
  
He took another breath, padding over the plush carpet towards the sleeping man. His ever-alert eyes slowly took in the sight of 'himself' as he might look in several years. He felt the childish need to touch the other Trunks, but he forced it down with his father's stern teachings concerning the importance of self-control ringing in his ears.  
  
'Man he's big... I'm gonna be taller than Dad... cool.' Trunks smirked somewhat triumphantly at this realization. 'But where'd he get all those scars? Eww... that must be from all his fights with the androids. Fuck that's gross... wonder if he thinks so too?' Trunks' hands came up to rest on the edge of the bed, the urge to touch that which intrigued him surging once more.  
  
Trunks focused on one tan and muscled arm which rested over Mirai Trunks' stomach, holding a loose fistful of billowy white sheets. He leaned closer to study the scores of pale lines from various scrapes and slices and blasts. Trunks leaned closer until his breath tickled the fine lavender hairs on his double's arm, causing the strange man to shift in his sleep and moan quietly. Trunks snapped back into a standing position, hoping that he wouldn't be caught yet. He wanted to look more before Mirai Trunks woke up and found him out.  
  
When he felt sure that the other him would continue to sleep peacefully, young Trunks moved back into his studious position leaning over the edge of the bed to look at 'himself.' This time he studied the older man's face. He noted the yucky slices that had healed into scars on Trunks' face, wrinkling his nose and feeling very glad that it wasn't him personally who'd been in that other timeline. His eyes wandered over the sleeping man's hair, which Trunks felt looked stupid and girly because it was so long. An idea came to him and he left the bedside, heading back to the doorway.  
  
A soft click marked the door opening. Trunks left it that way and darted to his own room to get some scissors. He returned in only seconds, shutting the door to the guest room behind himself once more, continuing to use extreme caution in his movements, so as not to wake the man in the bed or alert his family of what he was doing.  
  
With the scissors in hand, Trunks walked back to the side of the bed and frowned at the large creature in it. He didn't want him to wake up halfway through his haircut, that wouldn't be any fun at all. Trunks gathered a handful of light lavender in his fist and cut it short. He threw the cut hair into the wastebasket beside the bed. He grabbed more hair and repeated the actions, until all that remained was the hair that Trunks was sleeping on top of. A frown settled on young Trunks' face and he put the scissors down, wondering hw he could get the man to roll over without waking him up.  
  
The young genius grinned and ran around to the other side to the bed, crouching near the foot of it and grabbing hold of the sheets. He slowly and carefully pulled them to one side in hopes that Trunks would scurry closer to them to stay warm. He watched, frowning when there was no reaction from the man. A snort of frustration came from him and he glared in thought at his older self. 'You big dummy... roll over damnit!'  
  
Trunks crawled to the foot of the bed, peering at one of Trunks' feet, which was sticking out thanks to his movement of the sheets. He stayed low and kept his energy low, sliding one arm over the mattress towards the innocent and unsuspecting foot. He tickled the sole of Mirai Trunks' foot until the half-saiyajin reacted.  
  
With bated breath, Trunks watched his plan fall neatly into place. The older Trunks was disturbed and he bent his leg. The he rolled onto his side, mumbling soft incoherencies under his breath and returning to his relaxed sleep without waking. Young Trunks had to cover his mouth to keep from making a noise of pleasure at the success of his little plan. He crawled back to the head of the bed and took the scissors in his hands once more, carefully snipping the length off of Mirai Trunks' hair. He crossed his arms Vegeta style and snorted in triumph at his double. 'Now that's better... he doesn't look like a girl anymore. Hmm... maybe I should wake him up now? I wonder if he's cool or not... well if he's me then he must be... but I hate it when people wake me up... *frown* like when mom gets me up too early... hmph. I think I'll let him sleep.'  
  
Eleven-year-old Trunks took his scissors after throwing the rest of the long lavender hairs in the garbage and left the room, closing the door over behind him. He ran down the hall and smacked straight into his father, which halted his movements abruptly and caused him to fall on his ass. He blinked in confused surprise and looked up at Vegeta, who seemed just as surprised to have run into Trunks.  
  
"Morning Dad." Trunks tried, climbing to his feet. Vegeta glowered at him.  
  
"Shut up brat... watch where you're going. Your mother has breakfast ready downstairs." Vegeta walked around the still somewhat dazed little boy and continued down the hall. Trunks frowned at Vegeta's back, he still couldn't understand why his dad hated him so much. He headed back to his room to put the scissors away, and then down the stairs for breakfast. 


	5. Ch05

Scars – Chapter 05  
  
In the Son household, breakfast was the highlight of every male's morning. Gohan was no exception to this rule. He slept with his arms creating a pillow for his head, his legs tangled in his blankets at the foot of the bed. He was wearing a pair of underwear and a t-shirt, as well as socks, and that was all. Goku left Goten asleep despite ChiChi's order to rouse him, because he wanted to try and talk to Gohan for a few minutes. It wasn't part of the hardened warrior's plan to get his son when he was least aware –in the morning- but this happened to be the case, regardless of premeditation.  
  
Goku pushed the door to Gohan's room open, peeking inside to make sure his son was indeed asleep, and entering when he saw the young man sleeping peacefully on his stomach. Goku blinked at Gohan and closed the door over behind him. He studied his face intently, noting the tiny, barely perceptible lines around the corners of his eyes from frowning so often. He also got a distinct crease on his forehead whenever he scowled, which was more often than not. In sleep, however, Gohan's face was smooth and relaxed, and Goku really wished that he could leave his son sleeping, if only to keep him from making that worried expression he always seemed to wear.  
  
Goku put a hand on Gohan's shoulder and gently shook him, stepping back to wait for him to wake up. "Gohan... are you awake?" he asked softly.  
  
"Mmph... huh? Dad?" Gohan wondered aloud, shaken from his dream of a giant bowl of tomato juice in which he had been swimming around for some strange dream-related reason. He blinked, bringing a blurry picture of his father into view. With a groan of realization, Gohan rolled over and sat up, blushing and pulling the sheet over himself, though Goku was classically oblivious to people's state of undress at most times, including the present. The large saiyajin pulled Gohan's desk chair over to the bed and sat on it backwards, folding his muscled arms over the back of the chair and resting his chin on them. Seeing this, Gohan frowned, which brought that crease to his brow, making Goku sigh internally.  
  
"What's going on Dad? Is something wrong?" Gohan asked, looking at the way his father was getting settled before him.  
  
Goku nodded, a frown coming to his own face. "Yeah son... I think there is."  
  
Gohan's face became worried immediately and he swung his feet to the floor. "What is it... is Mom ok? And Goten? Is something attacking us?" Gohan figured that the only things that were important to his dad were saving the Earth and training, and since this didn't seem training related, he automatically jumped into alert mode, expanding his senses to feel for his brother and mother, and then reaching them further out to sense for some new or inexplicable power. He found nothing of the sort. "What's going on?"  
  
"Nothing like that Gohan... I just wanted to talk to you. You can relax. Uhh... I don't know where to start... heh... guess Bulma was right when she said I'm slow... I dunno how to put this into words."  
  
Gohan eyed Goku suspiciously. Was his dad trying to have some kind of heart- to-heart with him? He began to feel quite uncomfortable, knowing that if his father started to ask him questions about anything at all that he would have a tough time answering them. He didn't really feel close to the man at all, and it was challenging for him to accept that Goku might want closeness with him. "Well... why don't we go eat breakfast Dad... we can talk later..."  
  
Goku gave something of an insulted look, catching on that Gohan was going to try and worm out of talking to him before he even said anything. He hated to boss anyone around and this whole situation made him feel like he was putting Gohan in a corner. He didn't want to. "Gohan we'll eat after we talk. I just wanted to know... uhm... how you've been doing."  
  
Gohan looked at Goku with a dark-eyed frown. "Why...? I'm fine..."  
  
"Well... has anything happened lately?"  
  
"Happened? No... what do you mean Dad?"  
  
"Well... this morning your mother told me you're going to university, which is great, I'm proud of you! But... she said that you were going to tell me... and you didn't. How come?"  
  
"Oh... that. Well... I just... haven't got around to it." Gohan sighed internally with relief. He had thought that this was going to be a lot harder than it was. He just wanted to get away from Goku now, because the way the man looked at him, with studious curiosity and bright, innocent eyes made him squirm with discomfort. He made to get up and dress himself, but Goku reached out a hand and wrapped his fingers around Gohan's wrist, tugging him back to his sitting position.  
  
"Wait son, I'm not finished. Are you in a rush?"  
  
"N-no... just eager for that great breakfast, I'm starving! Heh heh..."  
  
"Gee Gohan... you sure don't like me anymore like you used to. I miss when we used to go fishing. I thought maybe we could do that today, just like before? Wouldn't that be fun?" Goku had lots that he wanted to ask his son, but he couldn't form his questions into words. The large saiyajin operated best through actions. He observed Gohan's reaction to his offer carefully.  
  
Gohan pulled his wrist free of his father's light hold, rubbing it absently in thought, though it didn't hurt. His eyes grew distant as he thought of his plans to spend the day with Videl. She wanted to learn the kamehameha wave. She had wanted to learn it ever since she'd discovered who really beat Cell, but Gohan had told her time and again that she was not ready for such a powerful attack. Now, he thought, she was disciplined enough to be taught. He almost forgot that he was sitting in his room talking to his father, but Goku's stare pulled him back to his surroundings.  
  
"Uhm... I was gonna train with Videl today..."  
  
Goku's face fell, his mind coming to a confused halt. He never planned for his ideas not to work out, he liked when things floated along his way. "Oh..."  
  
Gohan sighed, his father looked like a disappointed child. "But maybe we can do it another time, Dad?"  
  
Goku shook his head. "No... you'll be doing lots of studying soon... university is like really hard high school, right?"  
  
"Yeah... Dad are you trying to get at something here?"  
  
"What do you mean, Gohan?"  
  
"Well... you look kind of... distraught"  
  
"What's that mean?"  
  
"Worried... upset... stressed."  
  
"Oh. Yeah... guess I am. How come you don't like me anymore, Gohan?" Goku gave Gohan an innocent, somewhat wounded stare.  
  
Gohan felt himself becoming frustrated. "I do like you. You're my dad, of course I like you!"  
  
"I know... but since I got back... you're... it's... hn. Did I do something wrong?"  
  
Gohan felt suddenly furious with the way Goku painted himself as this innocuous creature that was only responsible for making sure something big and evil didn't step on the house. He made fists of his hands and stood abruptly, maybe to get a leg up in their conversation. "I don't know! You were gone for seven years! You didn't do anything at all... you could have come back and you didn't! Me and Goten and Mom were all here and you were dead! Mom cried all the time... so did I! But after a few years it got easier... you were gone, that was it, we accepted that. And then after we finally get over it and get on with everything, you show up out of nowhere to save the world, and you expect that nothing has changed while you were gone!? Everything has changed, I'm not a little kid anymore! You left when I needed you the most! I know its my fault you died Dad. And I really thought that it was my fault you stayed that way too, but after a lot of thinking and talking I've managed to believe otherwise. But...but... I don't understand! Why didn't you want to come back!?"  
  
Goku was taken aback by Gohan's sudden outburst. His son's voice had risen to almost a yell, and his face was red with frustrated fury. Goku felt like he wanted to cry. Gohan's words stung him painfully. His hands gripped the back of the chair for support. His tone was level.  
  
"I stayed dead because I didn't want a fight to come looking for me."  
  
"Oh, I see... and you thought that should something strong enough to destroy the Earth come along while you weren't around to save it that I could just step up and do it for you? That excuse doesn't float Dad, because if that's what you believed then you wouldn't have stayed alive after Buu!"  
  
"Wait! Gohan that's what I thought was the best decision at the time... but when I came back there was Goten... and it was so nice to see everyone... I didn't want to go back to Otherworld."  
  
Gohan grit his teeth and took a few breaths, his ki was rising and he could feel Goten's energy stirring, which meant he was sensing the fluctuations and possibly waking up. Gohan closed his eyes and opened them again, feeling like Goku was a coward. "I think you stayed in Otherworld after Cell because it was fun. Because you hadn't done something like that before and you wanted to train. To hell with me and Mom and your friends, you stayed there because you're selfish and you knew that I was here, strong enough to protect Earth. You put all that on my shoulders! I never even had a choice! Stay away from me... I don't want to have anything to do with you. Mom and Goten are my family, and this is my house because you gave it up!"  
  
Goku gave a controlled stare to Gohan. His son was losing his temper. He knew Gohan's tendency to lose it and regret it after, it was happening right now. Goku stood up and stepped back from Gohan. "Son, we can talk more when you're calmer... you're losing your temper."  
  
Gohan felt rage surge, turning his vision red. He felt like he was going to pass out or something. He stepped closer to Goku, glaring into his eyes. "You don't like what you're hearing so you're running away, is that it!? Well go then!"  
  
Goku felt Gohan's words smacking him in the chest. He raised his fingers to his forehead and used Instant Transmission to remove himself quickly and cleanly from the situation. He reappeared outside of the house on the lawn, where he hopped up into the sky and decided to catch his own breakfast.  
  
+++++++++++++++++  
  
ChiChi could hear an argument going on between her husband and son. It was rare that any screaming went on in the Son house that wasn't coming from her, and to be perfectly honest, she didn't really know what to do. She had to stay downstairs to watch that the eggs didn't burn, so she did exactly that, removing them from the heat and heading upstairs after Goku had gone. She intercepted Goten in the hall, who looked worried and upset. He was crying, as well as looking sleepy. In his arms was his teddy bear, a lumpy and homely looking creature with worn orange fur and one missing eye. It looked ready to burst from the pressure of the young boy's grip. He ran to ChiChi, who folded the ten-year-old in a hug.  
  
"Mom Dad and Gohan were fighting..."  
  
"Sweetie I know... sometimes grown-ups have arguments."  
  
"Gohan said... he... he... said a lot of things..."  
  
"Well you go downstairs and have some breakfast, and I'll talk to Gohan. And remember Goten, you've got a lot of studying to do today to make up for what you and Trunks did yesterday!"  
  
Goten looked quite unhappy with the 'comfort' his mother was offering and he pried out of her hug, heading back to his room, presumably to get dressed. What he really wanted to do was find out why Gohan was so upset. ChiChi was obviously not going to let him in his brother's room until all the real details had been wiped away. He hated being the youngest, he never got to know anything that was going on. 


	6. Ch06

Scars – Chapter 06  
  
Mirai Trunks, who'd managed to sleep through the demolition of his long mane, was roused by the creak that the door to his room made as Vegeta pushed it open to see if he was awake yet. He made a small sound and scrunched his eyes shut, feeling confused because he wasn't sure where he was. That is, his body didn't recognize the peaceful surroundings, and somehow that message was translated by his brain into the belief that he was dreaming. Not wanting to disturb the pleasant dream, Trunks hid his face under his pillow and tried to make himself stay asleep.  
  
Vegeta peered into the room, which was washed in bright morning light. He spotted his future brat on the bed and took that as an invitation to walk in. He was somewhat puzzled the night before when he opened the door to find Mirai Trunks on the other side, but after spending most of the night awake and puzzling over the young man, he had concluded that perhaps he had a responsibility towards him.  
  
Now, it was a big step indeed for Vegeta to go from allowing the brat to stay under his roof, to accepting him as a son. Trunks had already proven that he was a strong fighter, of that Vegeta had no doubts. But he felt that the boy lacked in character, he seemed weak and whiny, and downright fruity. Had any of that changed? Well... from the short speech he'd received from Mirai Trunks concerning the events that had caused him to run back to this time, Vegeta thought the answer was a definite 'no.'  
  
He folded his arms, intent on building some character in the boy. "Brat, wake up. I know you're awake, I saw you move when I opened the door."  
  
Mirai Trunks was startled when Vegeta's voice came from very close to the bed. He'd thought his father was standing in the doorway still. He rolled over and blinked his blue eyes at Vegeta. He was unsure of what to say, feeling awkward. Seeing his father's face made him think of his late mother. After all, the only snippets of proof that he was the descendant of the Saiyajin prince before he'd come to this time, were things that his mother told or showed him. He'd also heard a few things from Gohan, but most of them were unpleasant. In fact, most everything he knew about Vegeta was unpleasant, but he refused to believe what he was told when he had the opportunity to find things out for himself now.  
  
There was a long moment in which neither man spoke. Vegeta was pondering over Trunks' hair, now that he could see the obvious mutilation, and Trunks was greatly intimidated by Vegeta's mere presence. He was also filled with a sense of awe, a feeling he always got when he was around Vegeta. In fact, The prince's very presence made Trunks weak in the knees simply from all the emotion it evoked in his heart and mind.  
  
Vegeta broke the silence when he realized that his son was staring at him like a lobotomy patient. "Get up, your double will eat your portion of breakfast if you don't get a move on."  
  
"Yes Father, thank you." Trunks replied obediently, kicking the tangled sheet off himself and immediately following the stern order given.  
  
Vegeta left the room quickly in order to escape the strange boy, who made him very uncomfortable with all of his staring and quiet compliance. He'd would have thought that such admiration from his own spawn would be a good thing, but he was hating it more by the minute.  
  
'Hmph... that boy...hn. What in Hell's name did he do to his hair? If he is neurotic and fidgety all the time I'll kill him myself. All I need is another nut case living under this roof. The woman is plenty already.' Thought the grumpy prince as he headed for the kitchen, where eleven-year- old Trunks was looking like the cat that ate the canary.  
  
"What's got you so excited, boy? I would've thought you were through with brilliant ideas after that awful pie you and Kakarot's brat concocted yesterday." Vegeta snorted at Trunks, who looked guiltily up at him.  
  
"Nothing Dad... hey I thought our pie was really great! Goten sure liked it... *grin* Today I'm gonna take Goten with me to-  
  
"Quit yammering and eat."  
  
The prince cut the eye contact and sat at the table, ready to demand his breakfast when Bunni placed a huge plate of delicious looking food on the table in front of him. He was quite pleased with this, and although he nearly thanked the capricious woman for her promptness, he settled for hunkering down and digging into the steaming plate of food.  
  
Bunni smiled excitedly and scampered off to do whatever it is that nutty old people do all day, leaving more food waiting on the stovetop for the other Trunks.  
  
Young Trunks hid his displeasure at being brushed off by his father yet again. He just didn't understand. It was an unsolvable problem to him; Vegeta was never happy with him. Even when he became a Super Saiyajin in front of his dad for the first time, he was petulant, though he did take him to the park, which Trunks never forgot. Considering it never happened again, he didn't think he would be likely to forget it anytime soon. That was ok though. Trunks knew he was too old to go to the park anymore. He could build his own park if he wanted, and it'd be way cooler. But still, he hadn't been lucky enough to do very many things that impressed Vegeta in his short life. He recalled his father telling him that he was proud of him before he destroyed himself in attempt to kill Buu. He felt warmer inside, though he wondered if Vegeta still felt that way.  
  
Well, now he had someone new to play with, and what was cool was that it was him only older. That meant that the other Trunks could teach him lotsa cool stuff; they probably shared the same interests –of course they did! He bet Mirai Trunks liked computers and he was smart and they could play robots and hack government files together and everything! It'd be great! Trunks got another canary munching look on his face as he continued with his meal, feeling light-hearted and happy.  
  
++++++++++++++  
  
Upstairs, Mirai Trunks was making his bed. He threw the comforter up over the bed and let it fall neatly into place over the carefully placed sheets and pillows, but he stopped his actions suddenly, realizing that something felt very strange. His eyes widened, and his hands went to his head, specifically to his hair. He felt many uneven clumps of hair where there used to be long tresses. Confusion filled the man and he went to look at himself in the bathroom mirror.  
  
Mirai trunks had never really paid his hair much attention. He wasn't vain, he really never looked in the mirror at all to be perfectly honest. But he did make sure that he cut his long hair with a knife or something whenever it was getting past his shoulders. Now, all of a sudden, it was... SHORT! He ran his fingers though the softness, noting the utter lack of planning that the hack-job revealed. He twisted around to see the back, which was also short. All-in-all, he was more confused than anything else. Had he done this to himself? Had someone come into his room and done it in his sleep? Where was the rest of his hair? Was someone making a voodoo doll out of it or something?  
  
Trunks fished in his pocket for a hair elastic and tried to tie the hair up. He could only get a gimpy looking little ponytail, which left bangs hanging in his face. Unsure of how to proceed, he slipped the elastic back into his pocket and looked around for scissors. He found a pair in the cupboard under the sink and applied them to his mutilated mane in attempt to fix the damage.  
  
Needless to say, by the time Mirai Trunks was done, his hair looked more like Gohan's than his own, only it didn't stick up because it was so fine. He shrugged, figuring that he would just have to deal with it. Besides, the smell of food was making his stomach growl in anticipation of breakfast. He left the scissors on the counter and turned the light out in the bathroom, heading downstairs to eat. 


	7. Ch07

Scars – Chapter 07  
  
Gohan was panting with the force of his outburst. It was emotional force more than anything, but it had created a tension in him that he needed to release. He felt sick inside, replaying the awful things he'd said to hurt his father, and seeing the way Goku had forced himself to keep a reign on his own temper while his son was cutting him down.  
  
Guilt swelled in Gohan's mind. It made his chest ache and he looked at the sky outside his window hungrily. He felt his mother's energy approaching his room and knew that the last thing he needed was for her to get involved. He heard his mother knock on the door impatiently. He was surprised that she knocked at all, that was really unlike her.  
  
"I'm fine Mom!" Gohan called to the door, trying to keep his voice from cracking. He could feel tears stinging his eyes and he desperately wanted to keep his bothersome mother from probing him with useless questions. He held great love and respect for her, but when it came to problems, she only made things worse.  
  
"Gohan, Goku! Open this door, what's going on in there!? Why were you two fighting!?"  
  
Gohan looked around and grabbed some clothes off of his desk, he didn't even look at what he grabbed, he just took them and made a beeline for his open window. He sweatdropped when he realized half a mile up in the sky that he'd busted through the screen and would be hearing about that later. Well there was nothing that he could do about it now. Coming to a stop in the air, Gohan looked at the clothes he'd grabbed and put them on. It was a gi and sash, without the wristbands. This particular gi was purple, and the sash was red, of course, because those were the colours he always wore, ever since Piccolo had trained him. Even after receiving the training from the kai's, Gohan wore Piccolo's colours. He didn't even have shoes, but at least he wasn't wandering the world half naked. He looked around, feeling for Goku's ki. It was at the lake where they had fished before Goku had died.  
  
'I should go see Dad... but... as much as all that stuff I said was hurtful... it was true... I just... why does he have to be like that!? Why can't he just... just...' Gohan's thoughts only led to a fresh round of tears which blurred his vision and left him drifting with the clouds.  
  
Finally he settled on a different destination, and went to see Videl instead. Maybe she would be willing to rub the knots out of his shoulders? She did that whenever he was really stressed. He never asked for it, it was just one of those things that she seemed to know he needed sometimes. He really liked that about her –that she knew what he needed- it made him feel confused to think of his best friend like that, but he supposed they were very close... maybe it was ok. Videl wasn't affectionate like Gohan was though. Where he liked to hug and touch, she tended to prefer her personal space. Lately though, it was a little different. Maybe she was warming up to him?  
  
'She's probably worried I've got even more secrets than she's already found out about me... no wonder she's got a hard time trusting me.'  
  
Gohan came over the city in only a few minutes, slowing down to take a look at the streets. It was rather early, sometime before eight... would she even be up? That was a definite no, Videl liked to sleep in more than anything. But Gohan knew that he'd feel better if he talked to her, or even if he just stood on her balcony with her or something. He touched down on said balcony and rapped his knuckles lightly on her window, standing back to wait for her to come out.  
  
++++++++++++++  
  
Videl was sound asleep. No light polite knocking at her balcony window was about to pull the raven-haired young woman from her sleep. In fact, an anvil (or maybe a rhinoceros) would have to fall on her head to wake her up. A few minutes after the first knock there came a second, more insistent one, and it was pure luck for the tearful man on the other side of the door that miss Satan had a good feel for his energy. It was the fluctuation in Gohan's ki that alerted Videl to his presence and woke her up. She opened her eyes, blinking at the ceiling and wondering why she was suddenly wide awake.  
  
Moments later, there came the third knock on the window, and she hopped out of bed, her sleep forgotten. She wrapped herself in a lavender robe and tied it at the waist, pulling the string on the side of the window that opened the vertical blinds. She saw Gohan standing outside her balcony door looking sleep-mussed, very upset, and, she noted, he was not wearing any shoes. She gave him a curious little frown and unlocked the door, sliding it open to let him in.  
  
Gohan was normally very polite about coming inside Videl's house because of the stern respect for women that his mother had practically beat into his head as a boy. However on this fine mess of a morning he entered before Videl could say a word and paced the room in a frantic circle before collapsing cross-legged on the floor and pouring out the string of events preceding his arrival. His hands came up into his hair while he was talking and he rested his forehead on his palms, his elbows on his knees. Videl couldn't see his tears from this position, but she could tell he was crying anyway. She wasn't sure she'd ever seen him cry, it just wasn't something that Gohan did, considering how shy he was.  
  
Videl sat down beside him, putting an arm over his shoulders and rubbing at his back. "Gohan slow down, you're going to give yourself heart failure."  
  
"I...I can't... I said so many awful things to my dad... what's wrong with me!? And what's wrong with him!? He didn't even react! He just left... IT'd out of my room just like that! What a coward!"  
  
Gohan rubbed his eyes with frustrated fists and caught Videl's eyes. His own were red and glassy, and very dark looking. He had a distinct crease in his forehead from scrunching his face up with anger or worry.  
  
"Come on Gohan... relax. Its really early in the morning... if you wake my dad up he'll freak out and kick both our butts. He's the strongest man in the world you know..." Videl gave a half-smile, knowing that Gohan couldn't stand Mr. Satan. Her words worked wonders, he gave a derisive snort and stopped ranting, though he couldn't seem to stop his tears. Videl rubbed his back and folded him into a hug. Her hand went up to play in his hair because she knew that always calmed him greatly.  
  
Gohan sniffled and closed his eyes. He hid his face shamefully in the crook of Videl's shoulder and returned her hug, careful not to crush her. He relaxed at the hand in his hair and focused on his friend's scent. It was comforting and familiar to him. He wiped his eyes on her robe and backed out of the hug, blinking at her and earning himself an award for looking pathetic.  
  
"You overreact Gohan. Did you lose your temper?"  
  
"Yeah..."  
  
"Did you yell at him?"  
  
"Y-yeah..."  
  
"Well can you blame him for leaving then? Jeeze I wouldn't want you pointing that temper at me either. You can't blame your dad for leaving the situation, it was probably better that he did, he probably prevented things from getting much worse. Haven't you thought of it that way?"  
  
Gohan looked like he'd been smacked in the ass with a whole load of realization. He blinked at Videl, looking surprised that she was right, though he didn't know what else he might have expected from her. She let him go and changed positions so she was facing him. He wanted to crawl beside her so she'd rub his back again, but he knew about how she liked her personal space. He let his eyes crawl up to meet hers.  
  
"Thanks... you always know what to say. *sigh* Now what do I do...?"  
  
"You deal with what you brought onto yourself, that's what. I know how you feel about Goku, you've told me bits and pieces, and I think I've managed to pick up the rest just because I know you too well. Its better that you told him the truth than pretending everything was fine. Now he knows there's a problem between you two and maybe he'll cut the crap and actually try to work it out. Give him some time to think. As many times as I meet that man, It still amazes me how long it takes him to understand some things, though he's quick as the crack of a whip when it comes to others. Now, you look like hell. Why don't you take a shower? Have you eaten? I'll get someone to cook you something, and we can work out what we're doing today after that. Sound like a plan?"  
  
Gohan nodded obediently and stood up, pouting internally that he didn't get a shoulder rub like he'd really wanted. He knew where the bathroom was, he'd spent a fair amount of time in Videl's house. In fact, there were lots of bathrooms, he knew that too. He headed for hers, which was the one he tended to use, and closed the door behind him, taking his gi off and stepping into the shower. She was right, it did feel nice to have some hot water ease the tension out of his shoulders.  
  
++++++++++++++  
  
Videl frowned at Gohan's back as he left the room. It bothered her sometimes that her friend was so... needy. She wished he were a little better able to handle things himself, but she knew that it was just how Gohan was, and that it would never change. On some level, it really made Videl feel like she was needed by him, and that was a nice feeling. She got dressed and went downstairs to ask the maid to cook enough breakfast for twelve people. The poor maid blinked and nodded meekly. She hadn't been planning on spending her morning cooking and then washing dishes, but she was well paid, so she supposed it didn't matter what she did, she was compensated.  
  
While Gohan was washing up Videl got herself a glass of orange juice and sat at the table in the dining room. The table was huge and polished to perfection, the dark wood looked rich in the articulate room, it matched with the moldings and the deep red of the walls. The chairs (all 14 of them) were high-backed and expensively cushioned. It looked like some kind of royal dining hall, but Videl didn't think too much of it, as she was used to it. She drank her orange juice, looking up when Gohan came into the room.  
  
"Wow I'm glad I can sense you, I got lost like four times trying to find this room!"  
  
"Gohan you've been here lotsa times, you should know your way around by now."  
  
"Yeah but my house has like... six rooms, one staircase, and one hallway. You've got too many to count."  
  
"Shut up and sit down fool... Hilda is making you something to eat."  
  
Gohan sat in the chair beside Videl's and looked around the room, appearing to feel marginally better. Videl leaned back in her chair and smirked at him, deciding that if she was hungry she'd just borrow a little from Gohan's plate. 


	8. Ch08

Scars – Chapter 08  
  
Mirai Trunks made his way downstairs to have breakfast with his new family. The haircut he'd sustained without knowing it seemed to mark a load of changes for him. As if he'd stepped through a mirror into a very strange and different world that was like to the one he knew, but all backwards. He saw Vegeta sitting at the table, young Trunks sitting across from him. Both of them were stuffing their faces with classic saiyajin style, leaving Mirai Trunks looking around, wondering where his meal was.  
  
Vegeta paused what he was doing and turned around, swallowing his food and focusing on Trunks' short hair for a moment before snorting at him. "There's a meal for you on the stove. Sit beside the other brat." With this commentary, Vegeta turned back to his food and picked up where he'd left off.  
  
Young Trunks' eyes hadn't left his older self since he'd come into the room. The slight smirk he'd been wearing when his father asked him what was so great was gone, replaced by a somewhat awestruck look. Mirai Trunks when he was asleep was certainly something to look at, but now that he was up and moving around, the younger Trunks was captivated by him.  
  
Mirai Trunks could feel the other him watching his movements closely, which made him somewhat self-conscious. He took his food to the table, inhaling the delicious scent and setting to work on shoveling it all down his throat. Unlike Vegeta and the younger version of himself, Mirai Trunks had excellent table manners, as he had grown up with Bulma, and she would send him to bed hungry if he talked with his mouth full while he ate, or if he wiped his face on his sleeve, etc...  
  
Trunks tried not to think of his mom while he ate. The last thing he wanted was to cry in front of his dad and himself. He kept his eyes on the food, though he could still feel the other Trunks watching him with rapt attention to detail.  
  
"Are you sure you're the me from the future... you don't seem like it... "Young Trunks finally posed after stuffing some eggs into his mouth with his fork.  
  
Vegeta tuned in to the conversation, curious to find out how his two brats would take to one another.  
  
Mirai Trunks blushed helplessly, embarrassed suddenly that he didn't fit in here very well. He looked at the boy sitting beside him quietly. "Well, circumstances were different for me... so even though we are genetically identical, I am a completely different person from you, Trunks." He went shyly back to eating, feeling that cool blue gaze on him still.  
  
"Gee, way to ruin a good thing... I thought you were gonna be cool like me. Are you all pussy like Gohan is?"  
  
Vegeta couldn't help but snort rudely at that one. Mirai Trunks glowered at the vulgar little boy. "Hey." He said very evenly, his voice malicious in its own way. "Don't you ever talk about him like that... Gohan- sensei deserves respect. Father... May I be excused?" Trunks wanted to get out of here badly. It cut him painfully to hear his own mouth uttering sour things like that about his Master Gohan. His double gave him a serious look, but he quickly saw that there was no real seriousness in it at all. Young Trunks seemed to be laughing at him with his eyes, that is the impression the warrior from the future received.  
  
Vegeta shook his head. "Of course not boy, you'd better eat because I'll beat you into a pulp when we train today if you don't have your strength up. And you," Vegeta said, looking to his younger boy, "you will wipe that smug look off your face. Kakarot's older brat may be a joke in this time, but in Mirai Trunks' time he survived longer than Kakarot and myself, and had he not been around to teach you some skills, then we'd all be dead at the hands of the androids. Finish your meal."  
  
Vegeta hadn't planned on saying that. He growled in displeasure at the amount of respect he was showing to anything that was partially created by his nemesis, Kakarot. He convinced himself that since it was the other Gohan he was talking about, and since that Gohan was long dead, that it was alright to honour him with respect. He could feel Mirai Trunks' eyes on him, filled with entirely too much emotion for any son of his. He glared at both Trunks and Trunks, and pushed back from the table, leaving the remainder of his meal (which wasn't much) and heading to the shower to wash up so he could get to training.  
  
When their dad left the room, young Trunks gave a snoot. "Man... was a grump. So did Gohan really train you in your time?"  
  
Mirai Trunks analyzed the question carefully, not trusting the devious little boy very much. He knew himself to be too easily swayed from good intentions into troublesome meddling to trust the boy. "Y-yes, he did. But... he died..."  
  
"Oh. Well he's just fine in this time, how about you meet him here? I bet you'd get along with him, he blushes like a girl all the time just like you. Hey, do you like your haircut?"  
  
Mirai Trunks put his fork down, his hands going up to his overly short hair. "You cut it?"  
  
"Yep... pretty good job, eh? I came in your room before you got up this morning and I saw your hair was all girly and I didn't want anyone seeing me looking like that, so I cut it. It looks cool."  
  
"Er... that was a nice gesture Trunks... thank you... but I preferred it long."  
  
"How come?"  
  
"I'm used to it... and *blush* and I play with it when I'm trying to fall asleep. But it will grow back."  
  
"Yeah."  
  
Silence settled, during which Mirai Trunks finished up the remainder of his breakfast, and younger Trunks purloined the food that Vegeta had left behind, stuffing it into his mouth happily. He finished and left his dishes on the table, standing up and stretching.  
  
"That was great... aww Dad's gonna make us train all morning. Its fun to spar and stuff, but Dad's really obsessed, he doesn't let me take breaks or anything. But then this afternoon I can play with Goten! Hey do you wanna skip out on training and come see my lab? Mom doesn't know about it... I got the idea from this cartoon about a boy genius like me, he's got a lab in his basement.... Well mine's not that cool, but its got real stuff, not just made up! Yesterday I finished making my laptop... its really cool. *grin* Not even Goten's allowed to see... but you're me... you wouldn't tell, right?"  
  
"Uhm... well you aren't making anything that would hurt anybody... are you Trunks?"  
  
"Duh... no. What the hell would I do that for when if I wanna hurt someone I can just beat them up or blast them? Man I still am not so sure you're me. I'm gonna have to compare a sample of your blood with mine to make sure we're genetically identical like you said we are. Cause you're a pussy, sorry Trunks, but you are. I'm way cooler than you."  
  
Mirai Trunks sighed, shrugging. "Guess I didn't worry very much about being cool. Will Father take it as a disrespect that we don't join him in the Gravity Chamber?"  
  
"Well yeah, but after about three minutes of being in there with him you're gonna realize that it sucks. He doesn't pull his punches, he even broke my arm once, but... I don't think he meant to. I probably deserved it... I was being an ass and smart-mouthing. But still... if mom had found out about that she would have literally killed him I think. Oh, that's another thing that's kinda crappy, Mom's really overprotective... she's always bitching about this or that... even though she doesn't give a shit about me, whenever I'm in the room she acts like she plays this huge part in my life. As if she even remembers I exist when she isn't plotting my future for me."  
  
This was a lot for Mirai Trunks to absorb all at once. Vegeta had broken his double's arm? But if Trunks said it was an accident... well that might be understandable. Trunks remembered Gohan hitting him too hard one or two times, and causing him rather serious injury. He gave the other him a serious and studious gaze. The little boy was talking to him really easily... maybe Trunks had wanted to have someone around to talk to for awhile? Mirai Trunks took a deep breath and told himself that he had a responsibility to his double to hear him out and be as positive and supportive and close to him as he could. He had faith in the boy, and he didn't even know him yet. He was him, that was a million times more effective.  
  
And what was this about Bulma planning out his future? He scratched his head and cocked it curiously. "Trunks what do you mean Mom's planning out your future?"  
  
"Oh... I guess there wasn't much left of Capsule Corps in your time, huh? Well here its like the biggest tech company around, and at the moment, Mom is the head of it, with Grandpa Briefs still pitching in here and there. But I have to run it when I'm older, because Mom knows I'm at least as smart as her or smarter. I don't know how she thought this all over without asking me. I guess she figures its just a family business... but... but... FUCK! I don't wanna run CC! I wanna do something cool... maybe work here as an inventor or something... but I don't want to run it! *glower* Too bad I don't have a choice. Fucking parents. And no matter what I say, Dad wont even get involved, he refuses, says its 'the woman's area.' So if it's woman's work, why should I do it? Hmph."  
  
Mirai Trunks didn't know what to say. He felt bad for his younger self, but it seemed to him like the boy was complaining an awful lot about something that wasn't so bad. He shook his head and shrugged. "I don't know what you can do Trunks... How about we talk more about it later and go train with Dad, ok?"  
  
"Fine. I'll show you my lab after... now I'm mad... I could use some sparring."  
  
Trunks and Trunks headed out of the kitchen through the back door, the one that Mirai Trunks had knocked on the previous night. They headed to the Gravity Chamber, which was already humming from use. Vegeta's ki could be felt within. 


	9. Ch09

Scars – Chapter 09  
  
The food came to Gohan and Videl while they were chattering amiably a the large table in the over-decorated dining room. Gohan stiffened in his chair and lifted his nose to the air, closing his eyes in inhaling. A smile formed on his face and he opened his eyes to watch the doorway where the wonderful scent was coming from. His finely tuned senses picked up the sounds of a dining cart being pushed towards the room, and no sooner had he made this discovery, Hilda pushed the cart into the room and began unloading the food onto the table.  
  
Videl watched all of this from the moment Gohan sensed that food was coming with his nose. She found it rather fascinating that he could be so sharp, so aware of everything around him, and yet so oblivious to some things at the same time.  
  
As she'd planned, Videl snatched some breakfast from Gohan's plate, much to his dismay. He whimpered at her and gave her a sad look when he saw her stuff some of his breakfast into her mouth with a triumphant smirk. Videl gave him a winning smile, and Gohan shifted his plate selfishly further away from Videl's reach, though he knew that if she wanted some more, he'd probably give in with ease.  
  
After breakfast was completed, Gohan seemed to feel almost a hundred percent better. The darkness never left his eyes, but then again, that same darkness had been there ever since Videl had known Gohan, and it had nothing to do with the colour of his eyes.  
  
"So Gohan, now that you've mooched enough food for my family to eat for a month, what did you want to do today, huh? You know, we haven't had a good spar in awhile..."  
  
"Videl, that's because the last time we did, you weren't paying any attention."  
  
"Well come on... you know I'm ready to learn the Kamehameha, and you still keep trying to teach me all this other stuff. Come on... please? Pretty please? Pretty please I'll take you anywhere you want for lunch and I promise you can eat till you're full?"  
  
Gohan sweatdropped at being blackmailed, and rubbed his mostly full stomach, knowing that a good lunch would be well-deserved after the frustrating task of teaching Videl a new move. Oh it wasn't that she was hard to teach, she was a very good student. But she got frustrated easily when something didn't work out the way it was supposed to, and then she got careless. Gohan did not want Videl to get hurt just because she was frustrated, but he did believe she was ready to learn this new move.  
  
"Videl, I decided a few days ago that you're ready to try the Kamehameha wave out... but don't think this gets you out of buying me lunch! You go get your gi on and fly over to my house when you're ready, I should go home and get some shoes. I'll see you in a bit, kay Vidi?"  
  
Videl clapped her hands together and jumped forward to hug Gohan, squeezing him tight and letting him go as she got out of her chair and did a little victory dance. "Yes! I knew you'd figure it out, I am good enough to learn it! Hah! Don't get lost trying to get out of here... I've got to go change!"  
  
Videl ran off, disappearing down a corridor and leaving Gohan blinking stupidly at the empty plates remaining on the table. He shook himself and stood up, leaving the Satan Estate through the front door. He walked to the road and looked around for people before ducking into some bushes and leaping faster than humans could see into the sky to go home.  
  
++++++++++++  
  
Goten ate his breakfast quietly this morning. It upset him greatly whenever his family fought. Come to think of it, it upset his greatly whenever anybody fought. As estranged as Gohan and Goku were, Goten did not feel that way. He'd only known Goku for two years, but he liked him a lot. He couldn't help it. Whenever his Dad smiled at him he felt warm and happy and devoid of worry. It was just like when his Big Brother gave him hugs; he felt warm and safe, then.  
  
So seeing as his two most favourite people were at odds with one another, Goten was a very unhappy little half-saiyajin. He frowned at his food and searched for his mom's energy. She was up in Gohan's bedroom. He could hear her doing something with the screen in the window... what on Earth? Well she wasn't paying any attention to him, so he thought that now would be a marvelous time to escape from the house and his schoolwork. He felt Goku's energy not too far away, and he left half of his breakfast on the table, leaving through the back door and wandering through the long grass and trees towards the lake where he knew he would find Goku.  
  
Goten came upon the lake, pushing a tree branch out of his way and looking for his Dad. He saw the man laying on his back under a tree, his head resting at it's base, slightly propped up by a gnarled root.  
  
Goten exited the grass and headed to his sleeping father's side, sitting down beside Goku, who did not stir.  
  
'I wish Big Brother didn't feel yucky about you Daddy...' Goten thought to himself, recalling the way he saw his brother react many times when Goku did something thoughtless. Goten wondered if Gohan felt resentment towards him too, because he was so similar to Goku.  
  
The ten-year-old ran his eyes over his father's sleeping form, sighing and rubbing his eyes. He thought Trunks would laugh at him if he knew he was crying over something as stupid as a fight between his family members. After all, Trunks' family spent more time screaming than they did being happy, but it seemed like a natural balance when it was them, not a problem. Vegeta would get angry, he'd complain... Bulma would do the same thing, and Trunks was generally forgotten in the midst of the arguing. That was just how it went.  
  
At times Goten sensed that maybe his best friend was unhappy, but it seemed, for the most part, that the turmoil that was his daily life was normal to him, and the negatives went over his head. Trunks still bragged sometimes about the time his father had told him he was proud. He didn't like to talk about how he'd killed himself quickly thereafter, however.  
  
From these musings, Goten pulled the useful ideas, trying to convince himself that arguments were normal. It just felt different to him... serious. He sniffled and wiped his face on his sleeve, failing to notice Goku stirring beside him.  
  
"Goten?" The kindly Saiyajin asked, his voice containing concern.  
  
Goten was startled. He jumped and rubbed his face hurriedly, giving Goku a somewhat fearful look. "Daddy why were you and Gohan fighting this morning? Gohan's upset... and you too. Why don't you be nice to each other like me and you are?"  
  
"Gee Goten, I wish it was that easy... but your brother has a lot of problems with me... stuff that we can't just overlook. How come you're crying? Did you hear us?"  
  
"No... but... I knew anyway... that you were mad at each other."  
  
"I'm sorry Goten... Give me a hug... you'll feel better."  
  
Goten did as he was told as Goku sat up. He wrapped his arms around him and closed his eyes, squeezing Goku tightly. "I love you Daddy." He said, sniffing.  
  
"Me too Goten. Hey... do you want to do a little training? You've been getting stronger... why don't you show me what Vegeta has been teaching you and Trunks?"  
  
Goku was never too comfortable with mushy moments, so when his son said he loved him, he quickly changed the subject. Goten was easily distracted from his worries and he nodded, hopping into a standing position. He spread his legs and crouched slightly, gathering some power to himself.  
  
"Vegeta taught me a cool move! Actually, he taught trunks, and then Trunks showed it to me... but then when I asked Vegeta to show me he did. Cool, huh? Wanna see?"  
  
"Sure Goten... wow that's pretty cool!"  
  
"Yeah, I know!"  
  
Goten powered up and waited for his father to be ready. He charged at him, punching him from the left, then the right, then kicking him up into the air and back down to the ground. Goku allowed his son to perform the move on him, but he noted that Goten wasn't kicking or punching very hard. Goten jumped down from the air and stood in front of him, summoning power to his hands and bringing them together. He shouted "FINALLLLLL FLAAASSHHH!!" And shot the energy at Goku, who deflected it harmlessly into space. Goku climbed to his feet, looking pleased and surprised.  
  
"Wow son, that was great! Good job, they taught you well, that was flawless! I think you're getting a lot stronger since you've been practicing so much Goten. I'm proud of you.  
  
Goten grinned excitedly, feeling pumped up now. He hadn't put very much power into the blast, because his father was letting him do the move on purpose, and he had no intention of using it to harm his dad.  
  
The pair fell to trading blows with one another without really discussing it, and as the sun crept along, they continued to battle with pleased expressions adorning their faces. 


	10. Ch10

Scars – Chapter 10  
  
Gohan returned home to find that he had the house to himself. ChiChi had left a note on the kitchen table which read that she'd gone to town to get some groceries. Gohan had figured as much, ChiChi went every day to get groceries. Its was very fortunate that his family had the money from all the tournaments that his father had won, because without it they'd be eating fish morning day and night (with occasional rice on the side). Gohan grabbed a few apples out of the fridge to keep him company while he put his shoes on and went over his plan for teaching Videl the Kamehameha Wave properly.  
  
Videl arrived about fifteen minutes after Gohan's apples were long gone. He heard her feet touch down at his doorway. He opened the door to be greeted by his best friend in her training outfit. Since Gohan had been teaching Videl, he'd given her a gi, but she didn't wear it very often. Instead, she preferred to fight in her bike shorts and a loose white t- shirt. Gohan was a little unhappy that she didn't seem to acknowledge him as her teacher, but it just wasn't like him to mention it.  
  
Gohan greeted Videl with a grin. "So, you ready?"  
  
Videl gave him a determined nod. "You bet, lets go!"  
  
"Kay... well my Dad and Goten are at the lake where we usually train right now... er... so I thought maybe we'd go somewhere else. Somewhere that is already blown up... Follow me."  
  
Gohan jumped into the air and sped off at a firm pace, Videl making a point of keeping up with him. He could fly lots faster, sure, but how rude is it to leave someone in your dust when you're trying to get them to respect you?  
  
Gohan thought about various things that had happened on the scarred battlefield where he landed. It was the place where Frieza was slain by Mirai Trunks on the day that Goku returned from Yadrat. He remembered it well. The strange purple-haired teenager had given him the longest, saddest look he'd ever received from anybody. Ever since that day, Gohan had wondered on and off what it was that was so awful in Trunks' world. He knew about the androids and all the destruction they'd caused... he figured that actually living through such a thing was a hundred times more damaging than hearing about it.  
  
That was also the first time Gohan had seen his father since his transformation into a super saiyajin on the planet Namek. He vividly recalled the way Goku had demonstrated his Instant Transmission technique, and he also remembered the dinner that he, his mom, and his dad had shared later that day. Everything had been good, then, even with the threat of the androids looming in the distance.  
  
Gohan pushed his memories from his mind when Videl's hand touched his shoulder. He'd been floating quietly over the torn earth, caught in his thoughts.  
  
"Hey wake up Gohan... looks like someone's battled here before..."  
  
"Yeah... a lot of stuff happened here. Lots of different memories. Well, lets get down to business... come on."  
  
Videl reminded herself that Gohan seemed to attach sentiment to everything. In his room, which looked tidy on the outside, was a whole slew of crap that Videl thought he should throw out, but whenever she started picking things up and frowning at them, he'd snatch them from her hands and explain briefly why each item was significant. Videl always felt like shaking her head and smiling at him when he did this, as it reminded her of how strongly Gohan felt about everything. She thought that someone walking around feeling so much was probably like a raw wound a lot of the time. That was the reason she avoided being so... girly.  
  
She hopped to the dirt and began to do some stretches while Gohan mirrored her moves. They faced one another, and Gohan launched into his explanation.  
  
"Ok Videl, to do a Kamehameha, you have to focus a large amount of ki into your hands, then launch it at a target. Its kind of like shooting a ki blast, except its stronger, and more difficult to hold. It takes a lot of concentration to focus your energy on a single point for more than a few seconds. First, you need to learn the moves, and when you have that down, I'll help you focus to form the blast. Sound good?"  
  
"Yeah... lead on Sensei." Videl gave Gohan a cheesy salute and prepared to follow his movements.  
  
Gohan spread his legs and demonstrated the correct way to position one's hands when performing the attack. Videl followed him, listening to the way he incorporated the words into his movements. Each syllable matched up with a movement; it seemed simple enough.  
  
"Good. Now, I'll show you with the energy."  
  
Gohan summoned a bit of ki and fell into the familiar movements. The energy collected in his palms in the form of a glowing white ball and he released it, destroying a rock that hadn't already been blown to bits in a previous battle.  
  
"Now, do you think you can do that?" He asked his friend, facing her so he could help her out.  
  
"Of course I can, you just watch."  
  
Videl powered up so that she'd have some energy. She was already quite good with firing normal ki attacks, this just seemed like a fancy one that looked cooler. She slid through the movements, her energy pooling where her palms directed it. She fired the blast at a rock and watched, delighted, as it exploded into a thousand bits of rubble. She grinned and crossed her arms.  
  
"How was that? Pretty good, huh."  
  
"Yeah that was really good Videl! Great job! Now do you want to try doing one with more energy? Try it like this."  
  
Gohan demonstrated the attack again, pushing his wave forwards and continuing to pump it full of power until a much larger target (an entire cliff) exploded, leaving a cloud of dust rolling over both fighters. Videl whistled and gave him a raised brow, looking at her hands.  
  
"Gee... you really think I can do that?"  
  
"Yep, that's the real power of the Kamehameha Wave... its more effective than lots of smaller blasts."  
  
"Oh. Kay... so I just do what I did before... only keep using ki till it explodes the target?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
This time Videl summoned more power up before she started her attack. She moved through the motions and fired the blast at a cliff, like Gohan had. She pumped energy into the blast, not realizing that she was still screaming 'ha' as she did. She felt her power draining, and just before she was completely exhausted, the cliff exploded and toppled downwards, sending a plume of smoke and dust up into the air, and littering both Gohan and herself with bits of debris.  
  
Videl panted and wiped her brow, surveying the damage with great pride. "Whew.. *pant, pant* now that was hard... I'm beat!"  
  
Gohan moved closer and rubbed Videl's back, smiling brightly at her. There was dust on both of them, but they ignored it. "That was really good... I can't believe you're such a natural at this stuff, excellent! Now that you've learned it, finally, do you want to spar a bit with me Videl?"  
  
The young woman gave Gohan an annoyed look. "No... I'm whipped... you'd kick my butt. Man now I'm hungry... you think there's something to eat at your house?"  
  
"What kind of question is that? Of course there is... you got enough energy to fly home?"  
  
"Yeah, of course! Like I need you to carry me like some kinda little kid, you're way too soft Gohan. Lets go. By the way... thanks for showing me. Its kinda cool that I'm learning all this stuff..." Videl gave Gohan a smile, her eyes bright. "Sometimes I wish I was half-saiyajin like you, so I could really spar with you. It bugs me that you always hold back."  
  
Gohan shrugged, frowning. "You mean... you're jealous?"  
  
"No... just curious about what its like..."  
  
Gohan blushed, looking at his feet. "Oh... well.. uhm... I'm not sure... I've always been me. If I didn't hold back I'd hurt you... I don't want to do that Videl... you... you mean a lot to me." Gohan looked up, trying to meet Videl's eyes. She evaded his stare, shifting.  
  
"Yeah... I know Gohan. I didn't mean it like that. I meant I want to be strong like you."  
  
"I know you meant that. But you're perfect the way you are Vidi, you know? If you changed then you wouldn't be you."  
  
Videl was getting the distinct sense that Gohan was trying to tell her something. She frowned at him, catching his deep stare. "Son Gohan, are you trying to tell me something?"  
  
Gohan blushed horribly, his face looking guilty. "No..."  
  
Videl punched him in the shoulder. "You're a horrible liar... come on, lets get to your place before I die from starvation.  
  
Gohan saw this as a loophole to escape a rather embarrassing situation. "Hey, isn't that supposed to be my line?"  
  
"I'm borrowing it."  
  
They jumped up and flew back to the mountains, where they shared lunch over the well-loved kitchen table. 


	11. Ch11

Scars – Chapter 11  
  
Mirai Trunks entered the Gravity Chamber with his counterpart, looking curiously around. It had changed since the last time he'd been to this time, it looked roomier, as well as being more powerful. The gravity slowed and returned to normal when the two half-saiyajins entered, causing Vegeta to glower at them both.  
  
"Ah, ready to have your asses handed to you?"  
  
Eleven-year-old Trunks gulped and nodded, putting a stern look of determination on his face. He immediately powered up to super saiyajin and looked to his double, waiting for him to do the same. Mirai Trunks blinked stupidly at his companions.  
  
"Uhm... we're both going to fight you, Father?"  
  
Vegeta gave a haughty snort and nodded curtly. "Of course you are, like either of you would be any sort of challenge to me otherwise. Gather your ki brat, or this is really going to hurt."  
  
Vegeta lunged at the completely unprepared man from the future, delivering a swift kick to his chin to snap his head back. Only, Vegeta's kick hit nothing but air, as Trunks moved quickly out of the way, bringing his mind into focus on the energies of his double and father. Vegeta could be heard making a sound of displeasure, and he whirled around, crossing his arms.  
  
"Well, looks like you've learned a thing or two since we last fought together." He looked at the younger Trunks, "You're going to watch for now, I am curious as to your counterpart's strength. Pay attention, you might actually learn something."  
  
Trunks sighed and dropped out of super saiyajin, heading off to the edge of the room by the door so he could watch without getting smashed against a wall or hit by a misdirected blast. His eyes strayed from his father to his other self, wondering exactly how powerful this future him was. In fact, as much as Trunks found training with Vegeta to be an overall painful experience, he thought that maybe it would be different this time, maybe he could reach a new level.  
  
Mirai Trunks took Vegeta's words as his cue to gather much more energy to himself. Rising slightly off the floor, he felt the tug of gravity as Vegeta programmed the machine to simulate two hundred times the Earth's normal gravitational pull. He heard the cooling system activate to keep the room from becoming unbearably hot as he and Vegeta gathered huge amounts of power to themselves.  
  
Trunks could not hold back a yell as he made fists of his hands and exploded into super. The room shook and the lights flickered for a moment, his enormous ki testing Bulma's invention.  
  
'If I don't show him all of my power he will be furious... but if I do, will he be more furious? It so hard to tell with Father... I wish I knew him better. He seems to have changed a lot since the last time I was here... I guess having a child in his life forced him to... I wonder if he's happier now? Damnit... I can't think now, if I know Father, he'll hit me when I'm not expecting it.'  
  
Trunks made sure to keep his eyes on Vegeta as he screamed now, with the rush of energy that surged in his body and caused his muscles to bulk up all over. The young powerhouse pushed himself into the second form of super saiyajin, his short hair growing only a touch longer with the transformation.  
  
Trunks had been able to become 'Super Trunks' at the time of the battle with Cell. However, it had quickly been determined that the form was powerful, but too slow, so he'd abandoned it to train in his normal super saiyajin form instead. The transformation from this form into the 'Ascended Saiyajin (ssj2)' form had not come until after the androids had been defeated. Since he'd achieved the ascended level, Trunks had practiced almost constantly, forcing himself to maintain the huge power output as long as he was able, until it had become simple for him to do so. Because of this, Trunks feared that he was stronger than Vegeta, and he worried that his Father's confidence in himself as a fighter would suffer massively should he be surpassed by anybody aside from Goku.  
  
Trunks was frightened that Vegeta would hate him if he outmatched him in speed and strength. But he was honest at heart, and he wanted to prove to the stubborn man that he was worthy of being called his son. Just trying to decide what to do in this situation left Trunks thinking, and, of course, open to Vegeta's attack.  
  
Vegeta saw that the boy in front of him did not have his mind on their coming clash of might. He charged forwards and smashed his son to the floor, thus beginning their battle. And it was a battle, not just a friendly spar. Vegeta wasn't pulling out any stops in his determination to force his son into demonstrating his strength.  
  
When Trunks hit the floor, Vegeta was immediately upon him with another attack. He hurled a volley of ki blasts at his boy, stopping only when he couldn't see where he was shooting any longer from all of the explosions.  
  
Trunks came up behind Vegeta and made to smash the back of his head with both hands laced together, but Vegeta was too fast, and he whirled around, catching the attack and twisting Trunks over his shoulder to send him yet again to the ground. This time Vegeta followed him there, as Trunks landed on his feet. He was met with a barrage of angry fists.  
  
'Good, seems I've stirred him up, maybe now the real test can begin.' Vegeta mused, catching the punches and turning them aside as fast as they were being delivered. He missed one and felt something crack as his jaw was struck unforgivingly by his spawn's hand. He surged with fury and stuffed his iron fist straight into Trunks' midsection, knocking the air out of him and giving himself a chance to gather more power with which to battle.  
  
Mirai Trunks spat blood and also gathered ki. He sidestepped Vegeta's next attack and swept his father off balance. He managed to suck in some air, which tasted hot and dry to him. He was drenched with sweat already, and his clothing was slightly singed. The battle continued, both men coming out fairly even.  
  
On the sidelines, young Trunks watched with rapt fascination as his older self performed many perfect attacks, and fumbled several of Vegeta's most clever tricks. This caliber of battle just never happened when he was training with his dad... he was too weak for anything like this. Sure he could fight, but he was young and he just hadn't been fighting as long as these two, a lot of his potential still lay buried further than he was able to reach. Therefore, Trunks felt mostly awe at the battle, his eyes sticking to his elder self, admiration building within his young heart.  
  
'He's so strong... wow! I bet if I were that powerful Dad would like me...' Then something awful occurred to Trunks. He hadn't thought of it from this angle before, but was Vegeta going to like the other Trunks better than he liked his real son? Was he going to quit training with him and just train with the other Trunks? Would he still be proud of him then? A twisting sense of sickness filled the boy's mind and his guts, his face turning sour and his eyes losing focus on the battle at hand. He often felt this way when he thought about his dad at all, but now it was worse, now he was being directly threatened by very promising competition. But however he thought and worried, Trunks could not bring himself to despise the older him. They were one and the same, although very different.  
  
Confusion stirred in his mind and he nearly missed the next jump in power that the other Trunks made.  
  
Mirai Trunks discovered, after many close-range tangles with Vegeta, that his father's technique surpassed his own. Despite his difficult life of training and battling for his very existence, Vegeta was still craftier and more natural in his stance, attacks, and his defensive maneuvering. Every attack that Trunks made began to come back and bite him in the ass, as Vegeta would turn his self-defense into an attack.  
  
Vegeta was extremely pleased with their battle thus far. They were damaging the Gravity Chamber greatly, but he really wasn't thinking about that. He saw perseverance and determination in the elder Trunks that he had never seen in the younger one. There was a whole mass of strange attacks that Trunks seemed to have created for himself, and Vegeta even discovered some of his own moves in his son, likely learned from their period together in the Time Chamber. He saw great potential in this young man, and a respect for him began to build even as he outsmarted the boy with his long years of experience and his excellent sense of battle.  
  
Finally, Trunks fell to Vegeta's fists, not getting back up when the saiyajin prince knocked him off his feet. Their battled had taken nothing short of four hours, and the younger Trunks could still be seen by the door of the chamber, having regained his interest in the fight after he'd concluded that he needed to think more later.  
  
Mirai Trunks panted and opened his eyes. "Father... you win." He said, feeling shame welling in his chest, but masking it expertly.  
  
Vegeta smirked at Trunks and crossed his arms. He was sweaty and out of breath, exactly as he liked to be after any battle. He lowered his ki and let his hair turn back to black, staring down at his son, who also powered down. "Get up, we will get lunch."  
  
"Yes Father." Trunks replied softly, taking another moment to get his breath back before getting to his feet and heading for the door of the chamber. His hair was soaked, his shirt was missing, and most of his pants were also missing, they looked more like shorts now. His eyes fell on the other Trunks, whom he'd completely forgotten about. He gave him a smile, his muscles aching with the feeling of tiredness. He wiped a bit of blood from the corner of his mouth.  
  
"Hey Trunks, are you hungry for lunch?" He asked, pushing the thought of how he'd hidden his true level of power from Vegeta aside.  
  
"Yeah, watching you guys fight made me hungry, and maybe there's time to show you my.... Uhm... (he glanced at Vegeta) my room before Goten comes to play, huh?"  
  
"Sure Trunks... but food first, I'm starved!" 


	12. Ch12

Scars – Chapter 12  
  
After lunch, Gohan and Videl talked for awhile, until she began yawning, and Gohan's attention on the conversation began to stray as he fell to watching her movements quietly. He was feeling very strange, unlike he ever had before. It was as if all of a sudden, Gohan felt... different about his best friend, and that worried him immensely.  
  
Gohan knew very well that his mother wanted to get he and Videl together. She had been yammering about it since the first day they'd met. But Gohan hadn't felt that way until about an hour ago, when he saw her successfully blow up the cliff. And now, he was so nervous and confused, that he didn't want to be around her at all. It was simple convenience that she appeared to be nodding off sitting up.  
  
"Videl... you look tired. Do you want to go home?"  
  
Videl blinked at him, frowning. "Well I thought I'd stick around here for awhile... hmm... but a shower sure sounds like a great idea. Yeah... maybe I ought to go home. Thanks for lunch Gohan. For someone who's mom cooks so well, you sure make great sandwiches." Videl gave Gohan a grin, standing up and stretching. She rubbed her full tummy and made for the door.  
  
"Bye Videl, I'll drop by your window later maybe... If I can mange to get along with Dad tonight I thought I might try... I'm still thinking about what you said."  
  
Videl left, which put Gohan all by himself in the normally noisy Son home. It was eerie that it was so still and silent, the only noises that Gohan could hear at all were the chirping birds in the trees outside the kitchen window. He frowned, shaking his head and sifting his fingers through his hair.  
  
'I hate being alone... nobody's here... maybe I ought to go see what Dad and Goten are up to... they'll probably be in for lunch soon if they don't catch a fish and settle for that. Gee... maybe Mom wants some help with her shopping? Carrying all that stuff... wait... she's got those capsules Bulma gave her now... *frown* she doesn't need my help.'  
  
Gohan sighed and went upstairs, taking a shower because he had nothing better to do. When he was clean and dry he changed into more normal clothes than his purple gi. He put on a pair of blue jeans and a plain white t-shirt, rubbing his eyes. 'I've been getting headaches a lot... I wonder what that's from? Maybe I should ask Mom if she might know? Hn... but then she'll worry.'  
  
As if it were a sign from Dende, (and with all due credit going to our little green god, it was) ChiChi came in the door at exactly that moment, calling out to see if anybody was home. Gohan was happy that his mom was home, he was already tired of being alone and Videl had only been gone for twenty minutes.  
  
"Gohan, young man you have some explaining to do!" ChiChi started the second Gohan got into the kitchen.  
  
"What happened between you and your father this morning... you know you broke the screen in your window flying out of here so fast?! Imagine, my little boy running away from me! I'm hurt Gohan! Now tell me what happened!"  
  
"Mom... I have a headache... can you talk quieter please?" Gohan tried, putting his hand to his head and immediately regretting it. Now he'd probably be stuck in bed with a thermometer in his mouth all day, knowing how over-protective and over-worrisome ChiChi was.  
  
"Oh! My baby's sick? What's wrong sweetie... Mommy will fix it... do you have a fever?" ChiChi rushed to the medicine cabinet, leaving all her un- capsulated groceries on the kitchen table and counters. She retrieved the thermometer, ran it under some cold water, and popped it into Gohan's mouth, feeling his forehead.  
  
"Gohan you feel fine... there's no need for this." She pulled the thermometer out and frowned at it, looking up at her son, who was taller than her. "You've got a headache?"  
  
"Yeah... its not really bad... uhm... actually I've been getting them for awhile... headaches, I mean. I get them after studying a lot."  
  
"Why didn't you tell me? Am I working you too hard? Well now that you're in university it should be fine... hmm... well take some Tylenol and lay down for a little while."  
  
ChiChi put the thermometer away and exchanged it for four extra strength Tylenols, which was a light dose, she'd learned, for her son or husband. It seemed the drug wasn't nearly as effective on saiyajins as it was on humans. Gohan shook his head.  
  
"Mom it's fine, it'll go away if I just lay down, I don't need any of those, they don't really do anything anyway. Uhm... I'll be in my room."  
  
ChiChi's eyes followed Gohan out of the room and she got to putting the groceries away, stocking up the fridge and cabinets to keep her three boys well-fed. Come to think of it, she seemed to be missing two of them. "Gohan? Where are your father and brother?" She asked, halting Gohan's retreat from the kitchen.  
  
Gohan felt for their ki, finding it to be relaxed, indicating that they were no longer sparring, but more likely paying in the lake, or talking, or... or... whatever it was that fathers and sons did together when they got along. "They're at the lake mom... I'm sure they'll be home for dinner, don't worry."  
  
"Ok honey... go get some rest."  
  
Gohan left the room and went to his own, closing the door behind him. He took the jeans he'd only just put on off, leaving them on the floor because he intended to wear them later. He slipped between the sheets and laid on his back with his arms behind his head.  
  
'Man... I wonder if I 'like' Videl... I better not tell anybody, especially not her. I know she doesn't like me like that...' These thoughts preceded Gohan on his journey into sleep, which overcame him only a few minutes after he'd crawled in bed for a nap. 


	13. Ch13

Scars – Chapter 13  
  
Mirai Trunks shared a hearty lunch with Vegeta, who was quietly smug the entire time. His younger self sat beside him as before, and when their father exited the room to do whatever it is that he did when the Gravity Chamber was broken, he turned to the older man with an excited look.  
  
"Wow Trunks you're really strong! I never thought I could be such a good fighter like that! Do you think I can too, even though I don't have evil stomping androids smashing stuff up like in that movie where those robots blew stuff up and stuff? Hey wanna come see my secret lab and my room now? You eat fucking slow... hurry up Trunks!"  
  
Mirai Trunks was overwhelmed by all the hyperactive questions that the boy fired at him. He ate the rest of his meal, thinking about his fight with Vegeta, and the ascended level that he had decided not to demonstrate to the grumpy man. Guilt swelled inside of him, and the need to tell somebody was clawing at his insides, but the little boy on his right didn't seem like the right candidate for that. He wondered if he could talk to his mother. He knew her to be trustworthy and good at giving advice, only she tended to talk a lot and anything she knew she seemed to share with everyone else.  
  
Trunks knew that he'd told the other him he wanted to see his lab. After all, who else did the younger Trunks have to show things to besides 'Goten,' whom the man had never actually met. His brows drew together and the younger boy turned quiet.  
  
Little Trunks was really, really hoping that he could get a new friend and something of a big brother out of his older self. But that awful upset look on his face wasn't something that he wanted to deal with. He mirrored the look, crossing his arms like Vegeta. He felt a need to 'impress' this Trunks with his maturity.  
  
"Hey... what're you glowering about? Don't wanna see my lab? Fine... dummy. But I thought you'd be smart like me and think my inventions and things were cool... hmph. See if I care."  
  
With this perceptive assumption voiced, young Trunks got up from his chair and made to stomp off. He was halted by his counterpart's soft voice.  
  
"Its not like that Trunks. I have a lot on my mind... I'm sorry if I'm upsetting you."  
  
Young Trunks turned around, his arms still crossed, one eyebrow cocked accusingly. "Why don't you get a psychiatrist if you've got so many problems? Mom has one. And she tried to make Dad go to one but he wouldn't, obviously. I bet she's gonna make me go to but Dad already said if she did I should blast him or her to the next dimension."  
  
"Psychiatrists are there to help you Trunks... in case there's something you need to talk about that you feel like you can't tell anybody who's already part of your life. You can't go around just blasting people you know... it isn't right."  
  
"Yes it is, Dad said I could if they pissed me off. He does it."  
  
Mirai Trunks felt his frustration growing, but he kept a firm hold over it, knowing himself and knowing that the other Trunks was like to himself. "He wasn't raised on Earth with humans... you know as well as anybody else that Father is very focused on preserving what remains of saiyajin culture. And whether he realizes it or not, he is not always right."  
  
"Man and to think I was thinking he might get to like you better. If you don't show any more respect to Dad than that he'll hate you as much as he hates Goku. Good luck with that whole psychiatrist thing, since you seem to think they're so great. Stay outta my lab. You're not allowed in."  
  
"But I thought-  
  
"You thought wrong. I wish Dad wouldda heard how you talk about him behind his back. He should kick your ass, wait... he already did." Laughing at his little joke, Trunks walked out of the room, not looking back. Mirai Trunks felt cold inside, and more than ever he knew he needed to talk badly with somebody. Maybe a doctor would be the best answer to his problems?  
  
He pushed his fingers into his hair, looking down at the lacquered and flawless tabletop with a sigh. 'They're my family... but they're wrong too... like everything else here.'  
  
Trunks got up to take a shower, laying naked on the large comfortable bed after he dried himself off and locked the door. His face pushed into the soft sheets and he inhaled their fresh scent, feeling marginally calmer when he did. He got back to his feet and dressed himself in clean clothes. Again, the black pants and black muscle shirt were worn from much love, but they were his and he hoped they would last a little while longer before being shredded or singed into ashes. He ran a hand over the scars on his arms and shrugged, realizing that he didn't have to comb his hair anymore. This also saddened him, leaving Trunks very upset overall, and pushing him into tears.  
  
'Mommy I miss you...' Trunks thought, taking pity on himself and curling up on the bed with a pillow crushed to his chest. He spent a few minutes mourning and finally forced himself into stopping his tears. He dried his eyes and closed them, still clutching the pillow. Trunks searched out the ki's of Vegeta, the other Trunks and his mother. Then he moved on, looking for Goku's ki, as he knew Goku to be rather good at listening... probably because he didn't quite understand most of what he heard. Goku's energy was side-by-side with another, similar, but smaller power. Trunks thought it was Gohan, but he found Gohan's ki to be at another location, and much stronger than this other energy.  
  
'Goten?' He wondered, making the assumption.  
  
'Gohan's alone... I miss him... I wonder if he'll look just like my Gohan? I wonder if he's married... or busy... or... or... I wonder if he'd like to talk to me?'  
  
Trunks felt his mind sending a million discouraging messages at him from left and right, but in the end he overcame his own worries with his desire to see his long-dead Master. Trunks opened the window and launched himself in the direction of Gohan's energy, worry and hope bubbling in his guts.  
  
+++++++++++++  
  
It took only a few long and thoughtful moments for Trunks to fly to the Son house, which was well-hidden, deep in the 439 mountain range. Of course his ability to sense Gohan's energy made it easy to find, but when he came over the small house, nervous tension filled him. This wasn't his Gohan, his Master and teacher. Just like Trunks' younger double in this timeline, Gohan would be a completely different person. The last time Mirai Trunks had seen this version of Gohan, the boy had beaten the monster Cell, and lost his father, all in one day. What might have happened in Gohan's life since then?  
  
Trunks was overcome with worries. He felt as though he'd knock at the door and Gohan would, for some completely unreasonable reason, not wish to speak to him. Expecting exactly this, Trunks flew down to the Son's front door and knocked at it shyly.  
  
"Coming!" he heard ChiChi shout from just inside the cozy kitchen that he remembered from his own time. Even with androids destroying everything, the Son home had remained cheery, up until the time that Gohan had died, at which point ChiChi had simply lost hope, and stopped caring about everything. It was something of a pleasure to see the house and yard looking up kept and fresh.  
  
The door opened and ChiChi stepped into view. She blinked at Trunks, taking a second to register his identity. "Are you... Trunks from the future?" She asked after a pause of consideration.  
  
"Yes... I'm sorry to bother your family ChiChi, I was wondering if I could talk to Gohan?"  
  
"Oh, no bother, come in Trunks... gee you've cut your hair, I didn't recognize you for a second, its been so long... come in!" ChiChi stepped aside, and Trunks entered the little house, looking all around at the clean, bright kitchen.  
  
"Gohan's in his room, he said he had a headache, but I bet he'd be happy to see you. Wait... you aren't here with more bad news, are you? Because my baby isn't going to be fighting anymore monsters! Not a chance!"  
  
Trunks held his hands up in a gesture of harmlessness. "No... no androids or anything... I... I came here just to talk. I'm staying in this time... mine... well I thought I might stay here in this time instead of in mine."  
  
"Oh.... Wonderful! Maybe you can teach that little brat who's your younger self some manners... you're so polite Trunks... go right upstairs... remember he has a bit of a headache... normally I wouldn't want him having visitors, but I suppose he would like to see you."  
  
"Is Gohan... sick?"  
  
Worry filled Trunks' blue eyes as he focused on ChiChi and searched her face for an answer to his question. He hoped nothing was wrong with his friend, that was the last thing he wanted to happen.  
  
"Oh nothing like that... he said he's been getting headaches latterly... maybe he's been studying too hard."  
  
"Well... sometimes people get headaches from a vision problem... maybe you should get his eyes checked?"  
  
"Nonsense... he's half saiyajin! My boy doesn't have any silly vision problem!"  
  
"Uhm... in my time Gohan did... they are genetically identical...."  
  
ChiChi frowned and pointed to the stairs, heading off to make an appointment with an optometrist, even through she didn't believe that could be the problem with Gohan's headaches. She'd never even heard him complain about something like that before.  
  
As ChiChi forgot about him, Trunks headed up the stairs towards Gohan's energy. His heart was beating a million miles an hour, anticipation and worry and even fear filling him completely. 


	14. Ch14

Scars – Chapter 14  
  
Gohan was falling into a blissful little nap when an unexpected knock pulled him from his rest. He stared in confusion a the ceiling, not realizing where he was for a minute. Then he thought for a second about what had woken him, and he got out of bed, opening the door.  
  
"Uhhh.... Huh?" Gohan said brilliantly when he saw the man standing on the other side of the door. He blinked hard at his guest and scratched his head. "Can I help you?" Gohan tried finally as he rubbed the sleep from his eyes.  
  
Trunks stared at Gohan in silent shock. The little boy he'd left behind was all grown up, and apparently didn't recognize him. He gestured to himself with a hand. "Gohan... its me... Trunks. Er... that is... Mirai Trunks. Did I wake you?"  
  
Gohan swallowed and nodded, then shook his head. "Yeah... but I wasn't really asleep... uhm... you wanna come in? Wow Trunks, I haven't seen you in so long... your hair is short now!" Gohan led Trunks into his room, noting that Trunks shut the door behind him as he entered. They took up residence on Gohan's mussed bed.  
  
Gohan sat with his back against the wall, resting a hand on his stomach as he let his eyes wander over the young man sharing the bed with him for the moment. His relaxed position was due only to his sleepiness, his eyes were alert and his mind was ready to receive Trunks' story, whatever it may be. Gohan's gaze paused on the unfriendly lines etched in his future friend's face, questions bubbling inside him.  
  
So what brings you here Trunks? How are things in your time?" Gohan tried some basic questions, not wanting to overwhelm his old friend, who was looking at everything as though it held meaning to him. Trunks seemed to be in a contemplative or upset mood.  
  
Trunks sat on the edge of the bed, not really feeling very comfortable here. He could feel Gohan's eyes on him, and he was too shy at the moment to face the countenance of his dead teacher. It pained him deeply to hear Gohan's voice, but Trunks forced himself to hold back the tears he could feel trying to leak from his eyes. He missed Gohan so much... and here he was, but he wasn't really the same person at all.  
  
"I came to this time for a different reason than bringing news... I... well my mother passed away in my time... I decided to leave it and live here instead."  
  
Gohan was silent, he hadn't expected that. He sat up from his place against the wall, putting a tentative hand on Trunks' shoulder. He wondered why Trunks had cropped all his long hair off... it looked almost military in its severity, and gave him a completely different air. Gohan waited for Trunks to explain further.  
  
"My time is dead... there are surviving humans but they're few in number... since M-Mom's gone I thought... I thought I might find solace in this time... where you're all still alive and well. I know that it's selfish... the way I ignore my responsibility to my own time by leaving it... but I would've gone insane if I'd stayed there any longer. Uhm... what about you G-Gohan? Has a lot happened since we last saw each other? You've grown handsome... and your ki is immense... you must have fought many difficult battles since Cell."  
  
Trunks didn't move under Gohan's hand on his shoulder. He wasn't sure whether it was there out of worry or pity or something else, but he liked the small comfort and it was not suffocating or confusing to him, so he made no move to change his position.  
  
Gohan removed his hand and scooted so that he was sitting with his legs over the edge of the bed, feet on the floor, just like Trunks. He looked at the man quietly, then began to explain what had passed over the course of their years apart.  
  
"Yeah Trunks.... There were a few... I did some training on the planet of the kais..." From here Gohan spent time explaining the battle between Buu and the Earth. Trunks listened attentively as he learned about Fusion, and the Z Sword, and the old Kai who helped Gohan unlock his hidden powers. He was somewhat in awe of his friend when Gohan reached the end of his tale, explaining how Buu was finally defeated.  
  
"After that, My Dad got to stay alive... so he's here now, on Earth, living with us. I haven't been training much lately, since I'm starting university in a bit. I'm a little worried about that, but I guess it can't be much worse than high school was... right? Videl decided to go to college... oh, you haven't met Videl, she's my best friend." At this commentary, Gohan blushed a warm pink, which led Trunks to looking at him closely. "Vidi just learned the Kamehameha Wave today, I've been teaching her to control her ki since she figured out I was half saiyajin. She's a natural with it... but sometimes she gets impatient. Uhm... so you're gonna live in this time now... permanently?"  
  
"Yes... what are you going to study in university? Master Gohan talked about that a few times when we weren't fighting the androids. He said he would have liked to study if all the schools hadn't been blown up... *frown* I miss him." Trunks looked away from Gohan at his lap, tears forming in his eyes as he helplessly tried to keep them from doing so. Gohan rubbed his back.  
  
"The other Gohan was your master? What do you mean? Because he taught you to fight?"  
  
Trunks looked at Gohan with great frustration, his frown tight and his brows drawn together for emphasis. Gohan could never understand.... He knew that Gohan was thick-headed... at least his teacher had been. This one would likely be the same.  
  
"It was more than that... He... He was my friend.... He taught me to take care of myself... to fight, yes... but also a lot of other things... I can't explain... you just have to know. Think how your dad was to you when you were little, before he died the first time. Gohan was kind of like that to me. Only, I loved him different... I don't want to talk about this anymore. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have started in on you about that stuff."  
  
Trunks tried to weasel out of Gohan's comforting touch on his back. He was nauseous inside just from talking about his dead friend so deeply.  
  
"Don't apologize Trunks, I... I've lost people close to me too... I do know what it's like..." Gohan smoothed his hand over Trunks' back more firmly, trying to communicate his understanding so that Trunks could know that he did get the point. He wasn't expecting Trunks to slap his arm away and stand up to face him with tearstained eyes.  
  
"You don't know what you're talking about! You know how its feels when one person dies... your family and friends are still around to mourn beside you! Try having all of them die too and then we'll talk! I shouldn't have come here... you look exactly like him... I... I have to go."  
  
Trunks made a beeline for the window, unable to see through his blurry eyes, sobs struggling to break from his throat. He pushed a hand up against the glass only to have Gohan's gasp of shock ring clearly in his ears. He pushed the window open and jumped out into the waning afternoon, rocketing high into the cloudless sky, away from Gohan, and away from his own family. He needed to be alone...or at least away from all the people that hurt so much to talk to, like his father, and Gohan, and his mother. He didn't want to see any of them, he just wanted to stop hurting so much.  
  
+++++++++++++  
  
Gohan stared in shock at his bedroom window. The screen was broken for the second time that day, only this time it hadn't been his fault in the slightest, unless he traced Trunks' outburst back to himself. He had never seen a person look so vehement and so crushed at the same time, as he had when Trunks suddenly stood and yelled at him. He closed the window quietly, sighing that his mother would yell at him.  
  
Unsure of what else to do, and forgetting his sudden crush on his best friend, Gohan picked up the phone and called Videl in hopes that she would have something good to tell him, as she always did.  
  
*ring, ring*  
  
"Hello?" Videl's voice came from the other end of the line.  
  
"Vidi? Its me.... You're not going to believe what just happened."  
  
"What? Well tell me already Gohan, you know I hate being kept waiting! Is something wrong? How come you sound so upset? Oh... you had another fight with your dad, eh? Look, I told you already-  
  
"No, its not about that, something different happened."  
  
"Well what is it Gohan!?"  
  
"Mirai Trunks is here. I don't mean right beside me... I mean in our time. But he was here... in my room... and we got in a fight...or something... I don't even really know... now I don't know what to do. He flew off after yelling at me.... But... but I don't think it'd be fair to him if I told you all about it... I just had to tell you, you know, cause I tell you everything. What if he stays like he says he's going to? He could train with us and maybe he'll go to college with you or university with me.... Cool eh? But first I've got to calm him down... maybe I should go."  
  
"Wait just a damn minute Son Gohan! You don't just call me up and babble at me for fifty seconds, then hang up!"  
  
"But-  
  
"No! He'll be fine... Is this the Trunks that came to battle Cell with you and everyone else?"  
  
"Yeah...but-  
  
"Wait a second Gohan, I'm not finished! What did you say to make him mad?"  
  
"Nothing! It wasn't like that... he was just talking, and he said I... Videl I can't tell you about this... its private... I mean its his stuff to tell, not mine. But we didn't really fight... he just got really upset and flew off. What should I do?"  
  
"Man Gohan sometimes I think I ought to turn you in for a newer model... relax, he'll be fine. Give him some space and some time. If he wants to come back, then its inevitable. You know nothing stops you saiyajins. The only thing you can do is wait. Why don't you go downstairs and see if your mom wants some help with something? You can't fix things with Trunks just yet. It sounds like he's got too many problems inside himself to be trying to sort them all out alone. If he comes back again, just do your best to listen to him. Hey, I know I suck at listening, but I do know that everyone needs someone to listen to them once in awhile. In some people's cases, more than just once in awhile."  
  
"Wow Videl... thanks... you're the greatest. So did your energy recover from that blast alright?"  
  
"Yep, I took a shower and a nap and ate some more when I got here, and now I feel great! I think I'll fly somewhere to practice later... you wanna come?"  
  
"I don't know... its like I said before... I'm gonna try and do something with my dad... you know... give him a chance."  
  
"Kay, I'll talk to you later Gohan. And don't worry so much...."  
  
"Bye Videl."  
  
Gohan heard the line click and he hung up the phone, sighing and rubbing his hands over his face. He decided to take Videl's advice and go downstairs to see what his mom was up to. 


	15. Ch15

Scars – Chapter 15  
  
Goku was in a great mood. Despite his fight with Gohan that morning, things were looking better. The sky was beautiful to him, and the vision of his youngest son smiling and laughing as they played in the lake together made everything seem perfect for the moment. Goku scooped ten-year-old Goten out of the water and threw him up into the air, hearing him giggle in delight as he defied gravity, then came plummeting back to the Earth to be snatched safely out of harm's way by his father's strong arms.  
  
"Gee Goten, you musta hit the clouds that time! Want me to throw you even higher?" Goku gave a devilish grin, getting ready to repeat the movement.  
  
"Not again Dad... you almost dropped me that time! 'Sides, my tummy's grumbly... you think Mom's got dinner ready yet?"  
  
"Hey, I'm hungry too..." Goku looked at the position of the sun, sighing internally when he realized that there were still a few hours before dinner. "but your mom won't have dinner ready for awhile yet. Hey Goten, your big brother's at home right now, why don't you go back there and see if he wants to play with you?"  
  
Goten pulled himself free from Goku's arms and set his feet down on the sandy shore of the lake. "Aww... you don't wanna play with me anymore Dad?"  
  
"Sure I do, but I have some other things to do... and besides, I'll bet Gohan's in a better mood now... and maybe ChiChi will give you a snack if you go back to the house."  
  
"Really?! Cool! Thanks Dad but I gotta go... I'll see you at supper!!" Goten grabbed up his gi top, as he was only wearing the pants at the moment. He pulled it thoughtlessly over his head and jumped into the sky in the direction of home, thoughts of food circling his mind. There was a smile on his face that would put Goku's to shame.  
  
Goku watched his son go, and looked over the lake. He loved his boy to death, but he did need a little time to think for himself every once in awhile. Goku pulled his own gi top into place, re-tying the belt around his waist. He could feel a slightly familiar energy signal working its way over the mountains and away from any civilization.  
  
'Gee, I hadn't noticed that Trunks had come to this time... I wonder if there's something wrong?'  
  
With this in mind, Goku placed two fingers to his forehead and disappeared from the lake. He reappeared in the air ahead of Trunks, who slammed to an unexpected halt just inches from Goku.  
  
Trunks' eyes widened in surprise; he hadn't been expecting Goku to appear in front of him, obviously. "Goku!" Trunks exclaimed, catching his breath and blinking dumbly at the legendary warrior.  
  
Goku stared back at Trunks with curiosity filling his warm dark eyes. "Hey Trunks... what's wrong? I felt your ki and I thought maybe you'd come to bring some more bad news..."  
  
Trunks' eyes grew large as he realized his face was covered in tears. He didn't feel as much shame as he might of in front of his father, or Gohan, because he knew that Goku never really held anything against anybody. He'd only met Goku a few times when he'd traveled to the past to warn everybody from Cell, and when he was back to fight the monster, but his mother had told him heaps about her late best friend all his life. This gave Trunks a great respect for the saiyajin warrior.  
  
He wiped his eyes fervently, blushing against his will. "You surprised me... sorry. Uhm... there isn't any bad news Goku... nothing you have to worry about, anyway. Sorry I worried you." Trunks moved to fly around Goku so he could continue his dash to nowhere, but Goku flew to block his path, cocking his head and giving Trunks a look of catlike curiosity.  
  
"Are you in a hurry Trunks? Wow... you sure have grown... and your ki is strong too... even stronger than Vegeta's! Gee, you musta been doing a lot of training in your time, wow! Do you want to spar with me?"  
  
Goku smiled excitedly at the young man before him, hoping for a good spar now that he saw all the potential stockpiled inside the half-saiyajin. Trunks, however, didn't seem to think that was such a good idea.  
  
"I... uhm... no, I don't. I don't mean to be rude, I'm just not having a very good day... but maybe tomorrow.. or another time, ok?"  
  
"Oh, I see, ok. Well, then do you want to tell me what's wrong? You're crying, I can tell. Did Vegeta yell at you or something?"  
  
Trunks wanted to hug the man for his endearing naivety. He shook his head, smiling at Goku. "No, well yes, of course he yelled, but he always does, its not about that. I said something bad to Gohan... and I haven't seen him since right after he beat Cell. I didn't mean to hurt his feelings, but he... it just happened. Maybe whenever you go home tonight you could tell him I'm sorry?"  
  
Goku's face took on a look that Trunks had rarely seen displayed there –Goku appeared to be sad. "Well I would, but Gohan and I don't get along so well. Maybe I can tell him anyway though. He worries about everything... I wish he'd relax."  
  
Trunks was again surprised by Goku. "You guys are fighting?"  
  
"Something like that... I'm not sure we should talk about this. I don't think Gohan likes it very much when people talk about him behind his back. But if you need to talk, I can listen... I'm good at that." Goku smiled again, looking at Trunks. "Hey... something's different about you..."  
  
"Yes, the younger me decided to give me a haircut this morning before I woke up. I guess it'll grow back eventually. Uhm... maybe I would like to talk a bit... do you want to go sit on that cliff there?" Trunks pointed to a point far below them, a cliff that jutted out of the otherwise unbroken landscape and caught the sunlight nicely. There was a river snaking artfully below it, and in the distance the mountains, covered in various trees, sloped gently upwards and down.  
  
+++++++++++++  
  
Goku sat beside the man from the future, both of them with their legs hanging over the edge of the cliff, leaning back on their palms to watch the sky and the setting sun. They'd been talking about all sorts of things for at least an hour, and the day was starting to turn itself in for twilight. A few stars were peeking out from the top of the sky, which was brushed pink and orange behind the dark line of the mountains.  
  
"And that's why I didn't show Father I could ascend in our spar this morning..." Trunks finished softly, thinking back to his musings at that time. Goku had been living up to his claim of being a good listener for the whole of their conversation. The only sounds other than Trunks' voice were the distant rushing ripples of the river rapids far below, and Goku's slow, gentle breathing beside him.  
  
Goku leaned forwards so that he could catch Trunks' eyes. "Trunks, if you try to predict Vegeta, you'll make yourself crazy... he'll love you a lot better if you be yourself and let him do the thinking."  
  
Trunks gave Goku a strange look, as if he was thinking very hard about the large warrior's words, and smiling at the same time. "Maybe... but I've always been better at thinking than anything else... guess I try to think through everything."  
  
"You must be a lot like Gohan then... he does that too."  
  
Silence fell between them, and the sun fell below the mountaintops, turning the sky a darker muddle of pink and orange. Violet was creeping in around the edges of the fading sunset.  
  
"I miss him..."  
  
"Gohan?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
Trunks shifted his legs, working his toes in his boots. "I can't ever get him back... I know that. I'm more afraid that I'll forget him... and everyone else... but especially him. If I stay here... I mean. I don't want my new friendships and experiences to cover up the ones I left behind, even though a lot of things in the other time were bad. Gohan... he... I..." Trunks fell silent, unable to form words out of the confusing blend of memories he was picturing. His eyes were wide open, but he wasn't really looking at anything in front of him.  
  
Goku felt like he was supposed to say something sweet and touching here... something to make things better for Trunks, but he was completely at a loss for words. Instead he put a hand on one of Trunks' hands and soothingly rubbed the scar-lined flesh with his palm.  
  
Trunks closed his eyes at the touch, inhaling sharply to keep himself form crying.  
  
Darkness overtook the orange lingering in the sky, and the stars became more visible against the dark visage presented by the mountains. Behind the warriors, the moon began to rise and come into view; it was a waxing half- round that burned yellow.  
  
Trunks pulled his hand free from Goku's and turned to envelop the other man in a hug. He hid his face in Goku's chest and squeezed him tightly, thinking about Gohan and silently letting tears roll over his cheeks.  
  
Goku looked down at the young man against him and sat up so his arms were free to wrap around Trunks. He felt the figure in his arms shuddering, though he barely heard a whisper of a sob from him. Goku was alright with this, it was easier to help Trunks this way than by talking to him. He pulled Trunks close and rubbed his back, raising his energy slightly in hopes that Trunks would be soothed by it.  
  
The moment stretched into minutes, until Trunks finally calmed and his shuddering stopped, though he made no move to free himself from Goku's arms. He let his head lay over the strong chest and he listened to Goku's heart slowly pumping blood through his body. It was especially soothing to him that Goku was such a calm man, perhaps that was one of the reasons he'd ended up spilling so many secret fears and worries to him this evening. He relaxed his arms and pulled himself free, sitting up and looking at Goku in the moonlight.  
  
"Thank you Goku..."  
  
Goku smiled and shook his head. "Well you were sad... I don't like being sad either. But what I don't like even more is being hungry, and I'm starving! I think I might have missed dinner! Hey, do you want to come over and eat with me and ChiChi and everyone? Maybe you can fix things with Gohan too, wouldn't that be great?"  
  
Goku smiled hopefully as he rubbed his stomach with one hand.  
  
"Thank you Goku, but I would rather not... I'll talk to Gohan in my own time, I should spend some time with my family. Besides, I think maybe if you do the same with your son, he'll feel a bit better too."  
  
"Oh... well, ok. I hope you're feeling better Trunks, you can come talk to me again if you want to... I've always got lotsa extra time."  
  
"Ok."  
  
Both men stood up, stretching their limbs, which were stiff from sitting in one place for so long. Goku gave another smile and Instant Transmissioned out of sight, leaving Trunks by himself.  
  
Trunks looked around, telling himself to remember this place, so he could come back to it at a later date. He jumped off the cliff and let himself freefall for a few moments before picking himself up with his ki and flying off in the direction of West City, and Capsule Corporation. 


	16. Ch16

Scars – Chapter 16  
  
Goku arrived home just in time to be late for dinner. Gohan, Goten, and ChiChi were already gathered together around the table, helping themselves, when the large saiyajin warrior appeared in the kitchen after his time with Trunks. He looked around the room at the way the family was carrying on without him, and was granted a sense of what it must have been like when he was dead. After all, why should they wait for him, they didn't rely on him anyhow.  
  
"Hey, that smells great ChiChi! Sorry I'm late... I was talking to Trunks. Wow, you really outdid yourself tonight!" Goku took his customary seat at the head of the table and began to heap food onto his plate to catch up for what he'd missed. He felt unhappy inside when nobody really looked up at his arrival.  
  
"What's got you guys so down? Did I miss something? ChiChi... what's wrong?"  
  
Goku's wife put her fork down and folded her arms. "Exactly where have you been, Goku? I had dinner ready almost an hour ago! Gohan and Goten here had to wait to eat, because Goten told me that you said you would be home in time for dinner! Then we finally did start, and you show up halfway through! You don't deserve dinner Goku... hmph."  
  
Goku sweatdropped at his family and looked at the food in front of him, as his stomach growled hopefully. "Well gee, I'm sorry Chi... but me and Trunks were having a real important conversation, you know? I didn't plan on that, but then I ran into him and he was crying and he really needed someone to talk to... I'm sorry I made you guys wait for dinner... I won't do it again, ok?" Goku used his best 'I'm sorry and I still feel guilty' face without realizing it, and he purposely didn't start his meal, wanting to get the issue out of the way so that he could enjoy his food in peace.  
  
ChiChi gave Goku a glare, thinking to herself that as much as her husband likely believed he was being truthful, he would most definitely do it again. More so, it seriously aggravated her that Goku thought taking time out for Vegeta's kid was important, but when it came to his own boys he really wasn't there when he was needed. At least, that's how ChiChi felt.  
  
On the side of the table, Goten and Gohan were trying to look invisible, so they wouldn't be brought into the tiff. Goten did his best to be quiet because he knew that anything he said in this particular situation would not be necessary. At the tender age of ten, he was starting to learn that his commentary wasn't always necessary. He didn't usually realize this until after he said something uncalled for. That was why Goten was glad to have his big brother kick him under the table before he opened his mouth to explain what he'd already told ChiChi before dinner. Goten looked to Gohan at the kick, blinking in anger at first, then seeing the serious look on Gohan's face. He nodded slightly and looked back to his plate.  
  
Gohan had badly wanted to spend a nice evening with his dad. He was rather surprised to hear that Trunks had gone to Goku, of all people, for advice, or to talk to. It seemed to him that everything anybody said to his father went in one ear, and came dashing madly out the other in only moments. Why would anybody want to talk to Goku? Gohan frowned at his plate, leaving his little brother alone for the time being. He couldn't bring himself to look at his father.  
  
That afternoon, ChiChi had asked Gohan what he and Goku had been arguing about that morning. Gohan had murmured that it was nothing, and ChiChi had insisted he tell her. The last thing Son Gohan wanted was to get on his mother's bad side, and so he'd explained, as briefly as possible, that he was feeling kind of uncomfortable with Goku living with them again, because he was used to running the house himself, in a sense. As soon as Gohan had told his mom this, he'd regretted saying anything. She'd put an arm around him like when they were kids and hugged him briefly.  
  
' "Well sweetie it's a good thing you told me that," ChiChi said sort of mysteriously, "because I've notice that too. I know you think I don't see those things, but I do... I know you're not happy here anymore, and that's why I thought we should talk about this. Since you're going to a university all the way in Satan City, what do you think about moving there?" '  
  
Gohan was still thinking hard about this. ChiChi hadn't had a chance to say anything else, because at that moment, Goten had come barreling into the kitchen, hopping up and down and telling his brother and mother all about his day at the lake with Goku. Gohan was also trying to avoid looking at ChiChi now, because she knew he must be thinking about what she said. He wondered if it had been Goku's idea, or hers. 'Probably hers, Dad isn't really much for thinking about changing something unless it needs to be changed. But then again, neither is Mom.'  
  
So Gohan was plenty confused, and he was almost glad for the tension at the dinner table this evening, because it kept his mom from bringing up her little proposition in front of Goten.  
  
He pulled himself out of his thoughts to hear his father shoveling food into his mouth as fast as his chopsticks could snatch it up off his plate. Goten was imitating his father as closely as he could, and Gohan himself wasn't far behind. His mom was smiling slightly and watching Goku eat, with a look that Gohan could only peg as admiration. He was greatly confused, if someone had offered him a half-assed apology like the one his dad had given for being late, Gohan didn't think he would be so quick to forgive and forget.  
  
That brooding look he tended to wear came to his face and Gohan found himself glaring at his dinner, not at all prepared to spend quality time with his father when all he wanted to do was yell at the man.  
  
++++++++++++++  
  
At Capsule Corporation, dinner wasn't as tense as the one going on in the Son household. Young Trunks seemed to be a little less steamed about the argument he'd had with his elder self earlier, and he was sitting beside him, not giving too much attitude, as far as he was concerned.  
  
Mirai Trunks was thinking a lot about his talk with Goku. He was being so introverted and contemplative, that he barely noticed he was sitting at the table at all, and so, had no intention of arguing with anybody. He did feel a lot better, however, after a good hard cry and a nice long hug. He smiled at his plate, thinking about Goku telling him not to hide himself from his father if he wanted to be respected or loved by him. Trunks put his fork down, looking a this mother.  
  
"Mom, may I be excused?"  
  
Before Bulma could reply, the other Trunks piped up critically. "Man you can't go a whole meal without asking that, can you? Jeeze, just eat and worry after, your food'll get cold Trunks." The boy gestured to Mirai Trunks' food with his fork, stealing a bite off his plate and going back to his own.  
  
Bulma blinked at her younger son in surprise. "Trunks that's very rude, don't talk like that! And... er... Trunks, why do you want to be excused?" Bulma suddenly discovered that calling both her sons Trunks was confusing, but what else was she supposed to call them? They really were Trunks, both of them.  
  
Mirai Trunks blushed and twirled his fork on his plate. "Well... this morning me and Dad were fighting and.... and.... I wasn't honest with him.... I should have been. I want to go explain to him..."  
  
Bulma sighed shrugging. "Go ahead, its not like all four of us will ever be at the table all at once anyway, I don't know what I'm thinking. Make sure you come get the rest of your dinner later, ok?"  
  
"Sure Mom, thank you." Trunks pushed himself up from his chair and left the table, walking out the back door towards the Gravity Chamber, which was humming on the lawn. Flashes of ki could be seen inside, where Trunks assumed his father was training hard to become stronger than Goku. He approached the door, looking at it for a long moment and thinking back to Goku's words: ' "Trunks, if you try to predict Vegeta, you'll make yourself crazy... he'll love you a lot better if you be yourself and let him do the thinking." '  
  
'I hope you're right Goku...' Trunks thought to himself as he pushed the buzzer to let his dad know he wanted to come in.  
  
+++++++++++  
  
In the Gravity Chamber, Vegeta was doing a workout. He'd just finished 100,000 pushups, which, even for him, was a little overboard. He was currently in his super saiyajin form, delivering weak blasts around the circular training room, and dodging them. The sound of the door buzzer broke his steely concentration and caused several blasts to strike the prince in the back.  
  
"Fuck!" He exclaimed quite suddenly, and dropped out of the air, rubbing his singed arm and crinkling his nose at the smell of burnt flesh. He shouted testily at the computer to return to normal gravity and stomped towards the door, tearing it open. His burned arm was still smoking.  
  
"What the hell do you want that is important enough to interrupt my training brat!?" Vegeta shouted rudely at his son, not really thinking. He was always at his worst after any kind of training, because he tended to feel that he couldn't accomplish his real goals, no matter what he did in attempt. He would push himself to the point of madness trying to reach the ascended level, and even if he did reach it, he knew that Kakarot was still a whole level above that.  
  
Needless to say, Vegeta was not in any mood to tangle with the overemotional joke of a boy from the future. (A/N: Yes, earlier in the day our prince was proud of Trunks, but he's in a nasty mood at the moment ^_^ )  
  
Trunks worked his jaw, a look of stunned silence on his face. He knew his father's temper, he'd learned well of it in the Time Chamber, but it'd been several years since he'd really seen it up close and personal. "F- Father..." Trunks managed, his fingers twitching as he clasped his hands together in attempt to relax.  
  
"WHAT!" Vegeta demanded, scowling at his arm and then looking up at his son, who was a whole head taller than him. "I presume you didn't come here just to babble nonsensically at me when I could be doing something useful with my time! What do you want brat?"  
  
"I.... Uhm... maybe this is not a good time... s-should I come back later Father?" Trunks tried hard to keep the tremble from his voice, but he was unable to. All the crying and stuttering and general weakness he'd been acting out since he'd come here was making it easier every time.  
  
"You mean to tell me that you came all the way out here, interrupted my training, and destroyed my concentration just to tell me you'll come back and do it again later!? Hah, nice try boy... whatever you want to say, say it, and get lost. The first thing you must learn if you're intending on living here, is that you NEVER interrupt my training, unless there is a VERY good reason for it!"  
  
"Oh... then.... I wanted to tell you that I'm sorry." Trunks took a deep breath. He closed his eyes and repeated Goku's reassuring words in his head. "This morning....when we battled together... I didn't use my true power Father... and I'm sorry for my dishonesty." Trunks tensed, expecting to be either screamed at or hit.  
  
Vegeta was quite stunned, and the anger evaporated from him simply based on that astonishment. He gave Trunks a blank look, then caught his slip and balled his fists, stomping his foot like an irritated woman. His jaw worked, and finally he slapped Trunks hard on his left cheek, leaving an instant stinging welt.  
  
Trunks' head snapped to the right and his eyes closed in shocked pain, but he clenched his jaw and his fists, standing firmly in place and definitely making no foolish moves to hit Vegeta back. He knew he deserved the slap, and whatever else was coming to him for being untruthful to his father.  
  
Vegeta was incensed. He grabbed Trunks by the collar of his shirt and yanked him roughly into the Chamber, slamming the door behind them both. He threw Trunks further into the room, where the young half-saiyajin landed on his backside and slid to a halt. Trunks opened his eyes somewhat fearfully, not sure what to expect. Was this the man he respected and wanted so much to get to know? Was this the kind of punishment he would receive for lying, then finding his consciousness and being man enough to confess his mistake? Mixed feelings swam freely through the lavender-haired fighter, as he looked at Vegeta.  
  
"What are you going to do, Father?" He asked, keeping his voice even. No sense in losing anymore of his pride than he already had.  
  
"What the hell are you talking about idiot, stand up and show me!"  
  
"Huh?" Trunks said slowly, searching his father's face for an answer to his strange and seemingly inexplicable behavior.  
  
"Well, if you were hiding something then, and you came now to tell me of it, then I expect you to demonstrate this hidden power, now do it!"  
  
"Oh... Yes Father." Trunks got to his feet, and took a breath to steady his fluttering heart. He crouched slightly and balled his hands into fists, letting out a yell as he gathered his ki to himself and exploded first into super saiyajin, and then into his ascended form. His energy circled him brightly and glowed softly off of Vegeta's face. Trunks looked at his father with a stony expression, one he donned to keep himself from running to the man in attempt to explain to him that he was sorry for being stronger than Vegeta.  
  
Vegeta glared long and hard at the boy standing in front of him, proving that he was, indeed, an ascended saiyajin, and more importantly, that he was stronger than his sire. Vegeta wanted to explode with anger, but he had entirely too much dignity to do so at the moment. Throwing a temper tantrum would not earn him any sort of respect from Trunks. Being respected by his son was very important to the prince of saiyajins, so he kept his temper in check and glared at the boy while his mind worked in circles to determine his choice of words and course of action. He crossed his arms, glowering still, but keeping his chin up.  
  
"And this morning you thought it would be best not to reveal this to me? Why? And what changed your mind?"  
  
Trunks sighed, knowing he could never tell the whole truth behind his actions. "I thought...that... it would dishonor you to be overpowered by me... I'm sorry. I changed my mind because of something Goku told me today."  
  
"Oh of course... you thought it would dishonor me less to disrespect me by keeping this from me instead, when I specifically told you to power up to you maximum? Despicable. And I'm sure anything Kakarot has to say is idiocy, if he said anything intelligent at all, it is due more to his being an 'idiot savant' than actually being intelligent. What did he tell you that was so impacting?"  
  
Trunks blushed and looked at his feet, wondering if the blush was visible through his aura of energy. He hoped that it was not. "He said to me, that you would love me more if I was honest with you, and let you do the thinking, instead of trying to do it myself. Goku seems to respect you a lot Father..."  
  
Vegeta snorted at Trunks and shifted his stance. "Fine, Get out of here... I have training to do, and I'll not have you bumbling around here like an idiot, trying not to step on your own feet. However you achieved that form, excellent work. Leave me be." Vegeta dismissed Trunks, who left the Chamber and powered down to his normal level.  
  
Trunks could feel Vegeta's eyes boring into his back as he exited the GR.  
  
Indeed, the saiyajin prince was glaring after his son from the future, more curious about what could prompt Kakarot to talk with him than anything else. 


	17. Ch17A

Scars – Chapter 17A  
  
After their late, and decidedly tense dinner together, the Son family broke into a more normal routine. ChiChi set to clearing the table, while Goku leaned back in his chair and told her how great her cooking was. Goten got up from the table and want to do his reading in his room, something ChiChi had worked into his daily routine for as long as the ten-year-old could remember. Every night after he ate, Goten was to read from a book to himself. He was allowed to read any book he wanted, and it didn't matter how fast or slow he went, as long as he read for a good half hour or so.  
  
This was something Goten enjoyed as much as his attention span kept him from getting very far, he did like the stories, and Gohan sometimes went to the library with him and his mom to show him the really interesting books that he'd read when he was a kid. After all, ChiChi had made Gohan do the very same thing.  
  
Speaking of the elder half-saiyajin, Gohan was also sitting back at the table while he listened to his mom wash the dishes. His mind was a little bit blank as he digested his food, and his eyes slid over to rest on his father's face. He contemplated the line of the man's jaw, and how that strong jaw seemed to accentuate his kindly, but stern expressions. It also made him look the part of the hero, and of course his warm dark eyes evened that look out easily.  
  
Goku felt Gohan's eyes on him and turned his face to meet his son's stare. They looked quietly at once another for a few minutes, neither finding anything to say that would be more effective than the silence between them. Gohan finally turned his eyes away from his father, looking at the tabletop.  
  
"So... what happened with you and Trunks today?" Gohan asked, still looking at the table He could feel anger bubbling in his tummy, but he pushed it down to keep it at bay. He was going to try as hard as he could to at least talk about something with Goku tonight, and not fight.  
  
Goku's words were also carefully chosen, because he didn't want to start anything without intending to. He didn't want to set Gohan's temper off. "Well, I felt his energy flying around, and I thought maybe he'd come to warn us of a new threat, so I IT'd to his location, and I saw that he was really upset. He told me that he said something awful to you, and we found somewhere to sit, so we could talk. Well... he mostly did the talking... he seems pretty good at that. Heh. Uhm... he got upset... and he told me that I should tell you he's sorry for what he said today...to you. He misses the other Gohan... and seeing you today stirred that up, I guess. I asked Trunks if he wanted to eat dinner with us, but he said it'd be better if he talked to you in his own time."  
  
Gohan considered this quietly, then he looked back up to his father. "Dad... about this morning..." Gohan trailed off, seeing the way his father's face softened and grew serious when he mentioned that morning. "Dad I shouldn't have yelled like that. But... the stuff I said... I meant a lot of it. I-  
  
Goku shook his head, looking towards ChiChi. "Do you want to talk somewhere else, son?"  
  
Gohan nodded and stood from the table, mirroring Goku, who also stood. He was going to walk to the door, when Goku came forwards and put a hand on his shoulder. He placed two fingers on his forehead, and the room vanished from before them.  
  
The pair reappeared outside of their home. The light from the kitchen window shone around Goku's figure and made him appear only a large silhouette to his son. Gohan felt decidedly uncomfortable now. All of a sudden, he was forced to go one on one with the man he had the most mixed feelings towards in the world. He looked out across the grass, his fingers working themselves tensely at his sides.  
  
"Dad, I-  
  
"Gohan I-  
  
They both began at the same time, cutting one another off. There was a long and stressful silence in which the sounds of cicadas rose deafeningly behind them. Goku began to walk in the general direction of the trees, heading for the path that would take them to the lake. He wasn't sure why, but it was easier to do this if he could release a little of the tension through walking around as they talked. Or argued... whichever happened.  
  
Gohan's mind stirred with unease. "Dad... I hate that you left. Why don't you regret it? Why can't we be a normal family, like Trunks' family... or...well I guess Videl's life is messed up, but in high school my friends Erasa and Sharpner... they had normal lives. Were... I mean... I'm really sorry that I wasn't smart enough to kill Cell my first try... I know I should have, I know its my fault you died Dad. But at the same time... I never thought you wouldda left because I made a mistake, even a big, unforgivable one like that. That's why I said what I said. That you ran away from us. From me and mom and Goten, though I guess you didn't know about him then. Don't you like us?"  
  
Goku breathed slowly, forcing himself to remain calm, because the thing he prided himself on, without even knowing it, was being able to keep his head in any situation. He liked to be in control, though he wasn't really aware of that either. How could he be, living with a woman like ChiChi? Whenever Goku got it in his head that he wanted to do something, he did it, and a lot of the time, he neglected to think about what he was leaving behind. He frowned, knowing that he couldn't say all of this in words as clear as the ones in his thoughts.  
  
At the same time, Goku did not want to lose his collectedness. He took another slow breath. "Son... I guess you think I made a mistake, huh? Well.. I wasn't thinking much... I got to Otherworld, and I found out that I could train there and get stronger... and there're so many great things to eat there! It was really cool! I almost wish I couldda taken you with me, so you could see too. I think time kind of doesn't matter there, so I got all settled in, and then all of a sudden King Kai told me I was going to be wished back to Earth."  
  
Gohan's hands balled into fists, and he felt immediately betrayed for the guilt he'd piled on himself for seven years... longer... because of his father's choice to remain dead.  
  
When he opened his mouth his voice was not his own, it'd gained pitch and his eyes burned teal. "You left to stay there and PLAY!? You DID! And you don't even feel GUILTY about it, DO YOU! To hell with me and mom, we can take care of ourselves, right? Screw this world, screw your life, screw all your friends.... Just fuck it all so you could PLAY! You knew we'd die eventually, and probably make it there, or so you probably assumed, so you just screwed us all and forgot about us! I KNEW IT! I KNEW you couldn't have really had a good reason to stay!! You just... just... arggg!!! Dad you're a PARENT! You have a RESPONSIBILITY to me and mom and you dropped it to play! Why did you tell us you were staying there to protect the Earth then? Why'd you LIE!? You don't lie, even I know that!"  
  
Goku swallowed, not feeling anger inside himself, rather he felt a creepy sort of indifference that made him want to leave and come back when Gohan was calm again. He frowned slightly, looking off to think about a response.  
  
"Well I did believe what I said... though I had other reasons that I didn't tell you guys when I said I didn't want to be wished back. I guess I didn't think it was that big of a deal. You guys always did fine... I mean you turned out fine... guess I was right, eh? Come on Gohan, lets go back in the house and see if ChiChi and Goten wanna watch some TV, ok? We shouldn't fight about this anymore, its not that important"  
  
"NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO!" Gohan stomped his foot angrily in the dirt, standing in front of Goku to prevent him from walking any further along the path. His anger barred him from crying, as much as he knew he was going to after they were done fighting. "It IS important! I can't believe you could care so little! Is something wrong with you!? Are you just stupid? We NEEDED you! We really did! And you were skipping around learning to shoot a cooler looking Kamehameha Wave! We should never have taken you back. I can't believe you're even living with us... do you care at all? If something fun comes up are you gonna leave mom? Huh? And Goten??"  
  
"No, 'course not Gohan... that was a different situation. I was dead... that was it. I'd lived my life, I knew I'd get to see you guys again, it never occurred to me to come back 'till I heard you were gonna wish me back, and by that time, I'd already accepted that I was dead."  
  
"Shut UP! It doesn't matter what angle you try to say it from, you dumped your own family to play in the afterlife and that isn't RIGHT! I can't stand you... the longer I talk to you the more I wanna hurt you Dad... I'm still trying to think of what it would do to mom if she knew this. You listen to me. You make me a promise."  
  
"What promise... can we go home after?"  
  
"Stop that! Stop not caring! You make me a promise that you'll never tell mom or Goten how pathetic you are... grrr.... Don't tell anyone what you did! Promise it!"  
  
Goku stepped back from Gohan now, offended by all the anger and disturbing emotion coming from his son. It was obvious that Gohan was really hurt inside, that he was bothered on a million levels that Goku knew he could never really understand. He looked into Gohan's eyes, which were glowing with fury that appeared to be hatred. He scratched his head.  
  
"You mean don't tell them what you think I did?"  
  
"Its not what I think Dad! Its TRUE! You're just too THICK to get it! Promise me you won't ever tell them how little you really care..."  
  
"Well I wouldn't have died for you guys if I didn't care Gohan... you're really confusing me..."  
  
Gohan let out a yell of frustration, stomping his feet and grabbing Goku by the shoulders. He shook the man roughly and put their faces so close that Goku could see the sweat beading on Gohan's forehead, even in the fairly dark nighttime.  
  
Gohan's voice was calm and quiet when it next crawled from inside him –it was a hiss of anger. "Never. Tell. Mom. And. Goten. About. This. Conversation. PROMISE!" The last word was a shout that startled Goku to the point that he jumped slightly.  
  
"Ok Gohan... I promise I won't tell ChiChi and Goten about how mad you are... and about how much you don't like me, and about all that other stuff you were yelling about. I don't really get a lot of it, so that shouldn't be too hard. Can we go home now? And... er... you're hurting my shoulders..."  
  
Gohan let Goku go, pushing him backwards and shaking his head in attempt to clear the anger away. "You go... I don't know when I'm gonna talk to you again."  
  
Goku nodded, feeling sad that Gohan was so upset, but knowing rather well that he was unable to do anything to help that. He turned around and walked back towards the house, leaving Gohan, breathing hard, in the woods. 


	18. Ch17B

Scars – Chapter 17B  
  
Gohan exploded into super saiyajin with a scream of frustration and hurt when Goku was gone from his sight. His breathing was harsh, his chest heaved with the force of his tantrum. He put his hands over his face and screamed into them, the cry dying into a sob as he ran out of breath and crumpled to his knees. Power ate away at the trees and the dirt around the half-saiyajin, burning them so quickly they could scarcely catch fire first.  
  
He knew he was overreacting. He knew this inside himself, but his anger needed to come out. All of a sudden it was pouring out so fast he didn't know what to do with it all. He couldn't think, he couldn't breathe, he wanted to hurt something... or blow something up, but he knew he could not do that. He jumped out of his crater in what remained of the woods and flew high up, past the clouds, higher and higher till the air was so thin he thought he might be flying into space.  
  
The will to keep himself safe and alive forced him to stop when he was just low enough to breathe the thin air above the clouds. There he let his voice rise in a scream yet again, spreading his arms and legs and looking up at what he could see of the moon through his tears. He screamed at it, filled with the most blatant aching passion he'd felt since his explosion into ascended saiyajin during his battle with Cell. He ran out of breath and let his head drop towards his chest, crying into his shirt and curling up in a ball where he floated.  
  
The thin air made it impossible to keep this up for very long, and so he relaxed, lowering himself to where the oxygen was more breathable and bearable.  
  
Gohan couldn't seem to get himself to drop out of his super saiyajin form. He was just too upset at the moment to control himself, and that frightened him deeply. He craved Videl's arms around him to keep him safe from his fears and insecurities, but he was very much afraid that he would hurt her in his uncontrolled state.  
  
He tried to rationalize with himself, get himself to think straight. Gohan breathed more evenly, still panting for air, and he drifted helplessly towards Videl's energy, tears on his face.  
  
++++++++++++  
  
Videl was in the shower. She was very much enjoying a luxurious bubbly scrub and lathering her short hair when that was completely interrupted as Gohan burst into the bathroom through the door, and practically into the shower stall with her.  
  
"GOHAN! WHAT THE HELL! GET OUT!" She screamed at the crazed super saiyajin.  
  
He had the frosted glass door of Videl's spacious personal shower wide open. He was staring at her with a look in his eyes that she was sure didn't make him look very much like himself. He looked so lost that it seemed he wasn't completely aware of what he was doing. They stared at one another after Videl shouted at him, because he didn't move at all.  
  
"Videl..." Gohan said in a ghostly whisper, his voice shuddering and cracking, his eyes wide and frantic. His power was very high, the metal part around the glass in the shower door melted under his hand, the floor melted under his feet.  
  
"Videl..." Gohan repeated when she didn't answer him. She was too stunned to say anything. She'd never seen him like this, and she was decidedly untrusting of the big brawny super saiyajin with seemingly no sense of what exactly he was doing.  
  
Videl had never actually been frightened of Gohan until this moment. She knew he wasn't here to be perverted, he would have blushed insanely if he saw her naked in his right mind. He was just looking at her face, staring hopefully at her eyes. Videl shivered, crossing her arms over her breasts and turning the water off.  
  
"Gohan... p-please let go of the shower door... you're going to break it..."  
  
Gohan nodded slowly and released the door, not moving otherwise. He continued to stare at Videl's eyes with that same look in his own.  
  
"Ok Gohan... good... now why don't you power down... see how your feet are melting the floor? Not a good thing... take a nice, deep breath, and power down... please. Now."  
  
Gohan nodded and kept his eyes fixed on Videl. He took a long, deep breath, just like she said, and lowered his power as much as he could. His hands were shuddering slightly, in fact he was shaky all over. He managed to drop out of super saiyajin, though he flickered back to it for a minute and began to worry again, until Videl's coaching helped him gain control over the power, and he managed to keep himself down to a level that his body could hold in its normal form.  
  
"Good job Gohan... now, hand me a towel."  
  
Gohan again nodded and looked around, staring at the towel for a second before reaching shakily for it and handing it to Videl. She took it from him and wrapped d it around her dripping body, feeling a little better now. Gohan was still between her and the door of the bathroom, however.  
  
"Thank you... now obviously you aren't exactly yourself at the moment, do you think we can go to my room? You gonna make it that far?"  
  
Gohan looked overwhelmed. His eyes squinted shut and he concentrated on being good and fighting the rush of hurt and feeling that still wanted to rage from him. He flickered back to super saiyajin again and he heard Videl step back from him up against the slick shower wall. Gohan grit his jaws together in frustration and breathed quickly and deeply, slowly coaxing himself to breathe more slowly. Worry that he might hurt Videl on top of everything else he was worrying about crowded his confused mind.  
  
It took awhile, but he did gain control. He reverted to his normal form and sagged out of the tense position, suddenly exhausted. Gohan lost consciousness and crumpled into a heap in front of Videl, his power returning to a totally normal level as soon as he did.  
  
"Oh my God..." Videl whispered, staring at her best friend for a long minute, scared to touch him for fear that he would turn super and freak out on her. When he didn't move, and his position began to look really uncomfortable, Videl stepped over him and grabbed him under the shoulders, dragging him to her room, which was just outside the door. She left him on his back on the floor.  
  
"Gohan what happened to you...." Videl wondered aloud, looking at his face, which was completely expressionless now. He was breathing normally, and he seemed to be alright, just in a faint. Videl took this opportunity to dry herself off and put some clothes on.  
  
After that she stared at Gohan again, noting that her balcony door was wide open. Well, at least it wasn't smashed, that was good. The curtains blew into the room with a gentle nighttime breeze.  
  
Videl sat down beside Gohan and put a hand in his hair, stroking it carefully, in a manner she knew generally calmed him.  
  
"Whatever it was Gohan... I hope I can help...you big dummy... you broke my bathroom door. Wake up, would you?" 


	19. Ch18

Scars – Chapter 18  
  
Mirai Trunks went straight to his room without finishing his dinner after his conversation with his father. He was certainly getting mixed messages from the man. Vegeta had both called him an idiot, and told him that he'd done excellent work, practically in the same sentence. He shook his head, laying on the bed and hugging a pillow as he let his eyes wander over the room rather distantly.  
  
It was at this time that Trunks began to feel Gohan's energy rising. He wasn't paying attention or looking for the ki. Usually, unless one is in search of a particular energy, they don't get any sense of what's going on with that energy. Trunks, however, felt that he just 'knew' when something awful was happening to Gohan. This had been specifically for the other Gohan, not the one in the present timeline, but the future one.  
  
Being so incredibly close to his teacher, Trunks had developed a strange connection with the man, wherein he could sense and feel little bits of things from Gohan. His teacher had never said anything about it to him, but Trunks suspected that it went both ways, because Master Gohan had always been there for him when he was needed.  
  
This is what alerted Trunks to Gohan's skyrocketing and rapidly fluctuating energy signal. He extended his senses and discovered Goku's signal alongside Gohan's, only the hero's ki was calm and not at all out of control. As the two points of power grew further apart from each other, Gohan's power jumped to the super saiyajin level and Trunks sat up, instinctively feeling that he should go and see what was happening.  
  
'Wait a second... Gohan might have just had a fight with his dad... maybe he's just training, maybe he's letting off some steam... I don't have any reason to stalk him and follow him around and stick my nose where it doesn't belong. Especially not after what happened today...darn it. I should never have said what I said to him...'  
  
Trunks fell to considering their brief 'argument' earlier that day. It wasn't really an argument at all, it was more that Trunks threw a tantrum before even he realized it was happening.  
  
'But maybe Goku told him that I'm sorry... yeah... Goku's so nice like that... well unless he forgot. Guess I don't have any way of knowing.'  
  
Trunks felt Gohan's energy flying fast away from the mountains, towards Satan city. It had been called Orange Star City in his time, but he'd learned of Hercule Satan's claim that he'd defeated Cell. Trunks got off the bed, and walked to the large wall to wall windows that provided a good view of West City. Air cars were zooming along the roads, so different from his time.  
  
Trunks felt Gohan's energy suddenly fluctuate again, and this time, as he sensed carefully for anything else that would offer information, he could sense a human ki very close to Gohan's. This human's energy was incredibly powerful... comparable to Krillin's, even. But Gohan's was still much higher, and Trunks wondered if Gohan had had a fight or something with his father, and run to a friend.... Perhaps this was Videl? He'd only heard about her once, and Gohan had not really said much. Trunks began to feel worried, the two powers were close together, and now the human one was fluctuating in response to Gohan's energy.  
  
'Gohan would never hurt somebody....Kami what is going on there!?'  
  
Trunks' growing curiosity placed him with his eyes shut so he could watch the mysterious scene with his other senses.  
  
'Maybe they're having sex...'  
  
Suddenly, Gohan's ki dropped very low, clearly he was unconscious. That was it for Trunks, and he already felt regret that something horrible must have happened that he should have been there to prevent from occurring. He ran out of the room and down the stairs, past the younger Trunks, who was in the kitchen, and out the nearest door. He didn't even bother to shut it behind him. Trunks jumped into the sky and rocketed towards Satan City and Gohan's unconscious ki.  
  
++++++++++++  
  
Videl sat by Gohan's side and stroked his hair attentively while she watched him breathe. She was considering calling Gohan's house and telling his family what was going on... maybe Goku knew something that she didn't? Something that would tell her just what was wrong with her best friend?  
  
Fortunately, the large young man laying on her bedroom floor didn't stay out for long. She heard a sharp breath, and then silence, as Gohan seemed to be holding his breath. She turned her eyes on him, not sure now if she was worried or angry. "Gohan?" Videl offered, her big blue eyes holding a careful view of his face, looking for signs of what he was feeling or thinking.  
  
"V-Videl...?" Gohan murmured, his eye opening slightly. He seemed out of it.  
  
"Well good to see you're coherent... are you ok?"  
  
Gohan sat up, looking around himself in confusion. "Huh? Videl? What's going on?" Gohan rubbed his head, focusing on his best friend's room. He inhaled and could smell her shampoo, it made him feel warm inside, and he was reminded of his crush on Videl. He frowned, trying to push that out of his mind as he realized his memory seemed kind of messed up.  
  
"You mean you don't remember what happened Gohan?" Videl asked, looking like she didn't really like the sound of that very much.  
  
Gohan gave her wide, innocent black eyes. "I'm not sure.... Something must have happened.... It's there but it's gray.... Weird. How did I get here?"  
  
"I don't know, you tell me. You busted in my bathroom when I was in the middle of a shower and started saying my name all creepy-like... and your were a super saiyajin too... then I asked you to calm down and you tried... and you handed me a towel cause I was naked, but when I asked you to walk to my room you just passed right out on the floor.  
  
"Oh.... Right.... Uhm... Videl.... could I be by myself for a minute.... I just need to figure this out... I'm really sorry... I didn't hurt you or anything though.... D-did I?" Gohan gave Videl and incredibly guilty and worried look. She could see that the stress he was obviously under was getting to him at the moment and she frowned.  
  
"No dummy, you didn't hurt me, you didn't lay a finger on me, you just scared the crap outta me. I'll go get you a snack while you take your minute by yourself... After whatever happened you're probably hungry... you're always hungry."  
  
"Ok...thank you Videl." Gohan replied softly, looking at the curtains which were billowing in the balcony doorway. Videl patted him on the shoulder and got to her feet, heading out of the room and towards the kitchen to have something suitable sent up to her room for Gohan.  
  
As he watched her go out of the room, Gohan felt a shiver run through him. The memory of what had happened before he'd ended up in Videl's house flooded his mind and the large half-saiyajin felt suddenly ill.  
  
'Oh Dende what did I say to dad... all that awful stuff... I lost it. But even worse, everything he said to ME! How could he be so careless and thoughtless and heartless!? I've always known Dad to be anything but those things...what is wrong here? Did something happen to him? Is he really like that and I just never knew? Shit....I can't handle this stuff! Dende you shouldda made something... anything happen to keep that conversation from taking place'  
  
Gohan felt thoroughly frustrated. He crawled over to Videl's bed and leaned his back against it, pulling one of the stuffed animals she never used from the coverlet and hugging it desperately. He sighed again and closed his eyes, tears sliding down his cheeks.  
  
He hated the thought of crying in front of Videl, however after everything that had happened that evening already, he was starting to think she wouldn't really mind the tears so much.  
  
'I hope she doesn't think this is stupid... what am I saying, of course she doesn't. Vidi's the one who told me it was important to give Dad a chance to talk... she had no way of knowing that everything he was going to say was stuff I really would rather not have heard.'  
  
Gohan snuggled his face into the bear further, hiding from the rest of the room. He was feeling extremely tired now, worn out from yelling and carrying on like a madman.  
  
There was a thud on the balcony, the sound of lithe feet hitting the concrete and quickly darting inside. Gohan groaned internally at the thought that his little...er...not so little outburst had snagged the attention of one or more of the Z-Senshi.  
  
Before Gohan had a chance to even look up or reach out and sense who was at Videl's balcony, a very worried, however soft voice touched his ears.  
  
"Gohan? Gohan! You're ok? I felt you ki going nuts and I figured I should leave you alone and then you lost consciousness! What happened!? Where are we... G-...... Gohan... are you crying?"  
  
Gohan felt his cheeks burning with complete embarrassment. Mirai Trunks was such a strong kind of guy... he was Bulma and Vegeta's son after all... and despite his freak out earlier that day, Gohan had a good feeling that the man standing over him would think plenty less of him for his tears.  
  
Guess Gohan didn't know Trunks very well.  
  
"Gohan say something... what's going on?"  
  
Gohan tried to make himself look up to Trunks. He took a deep breath and swallowed the lump in his throat rather unsuccessfully, turning his eyes on the fey creature that was now kneeling at his side, a hesitant hand on his shoulder. He tried to swallow his tears before speaking. "Its alright... this is a safe place.... Just... uhm.... I don't think right now is a great time to talk Trunks. I'm sorry I scared you..."  
  
Trunks blinked, clearly not getting it. "Well what's wrong with you? What happened?"  
  
"Nothing... Trunks its not anything that has anything to do with y-  
  
"Who the hell are you!? What are you doing in my house, my ROOM!? Leave Gohan alone!"  
  
Videl had been pushing a dining cart piled with food up to the door, when she heard low voices coming from inside. She left the cart in the hall and cautiously looked around her bedroom, her eyes lighting upon an unfamiliar figure. She saw harsh looking lines crisscrossing his shoulders, and what she could see of his other parts, which wasn't too much from his position over her best friend. She stormed into the room and made to yank the man way from Gohan by his arm. He was steely strong, and didn't budge.  
  
"What... not more superheroes... Who are you supposed to be...? Captain Hook after the crocodile had its way with him? And what do you want with Gohan!?"  
  
"Videl! Trunks is a friend of mine, don't be like that to him!" Gohan piped up, looking out from the safe haven of being hidden against the teddy with his knees drawn up against his chest like a small child. "He only came cause he felt my energy doing jumping jacks then passing out. You can relax, Trunks is a friend." Gohan quieted, keeping his eyes on Videl. He flickered his gaze back to Trunks. "Trunks, this is my best friend, Videl. I think she's still a little shook up. Like I was saying, everything's fine now..."  
  
Trunks stood up, crossing his arms and glancing around the room thoughtfully. He could definitely tell that he was not wanted here, and he knew he should make his exit as hastily as possible.  
  
Videl stared at the attractive young man who's voice was a mystery to her, but from his expression and his eyes, she thought it might be soft and masculine at the same time. Videl blushed at how rude she'd been and looked warily at Gohan, then back to Trunks. "Er... Trunks? I'm Videl... like Gohan said. I'm sorry for being so rude... are you a saiyajin too?"  
  
Trunks blinked, slightly surprised. He nodded slowly and made to leave the room through the balcony, feeling decidedly unwelcome in the situation. It was obvious that Videl and Gohan were close... he wondered if they were lovers, or really just best friends. Trunks had never had a girlfriend before, he'd never had time for something like that. After the death of Seventeen and Eighteen, Trunks had shyly steered clear of mostly everyone except his mother. He kept himself busy by trying to help the people on the planet without really getting to know any of them.  
  
Trunks could feel both Gohan's and Videl's eyes on his turned back. He disappeared quickly from the balcony, feeling shame without any real cause. Perhaps it was more from his subconscious thoughts. Feeling Gohan's energy dip so suddenly had jolted Trunks back to the time when he was unable to do anything to save Gohan's life from Eighteen's merciless blast.  
  
The lavender haired half-saiyajin flew over the clouds, back towards West City, and Capsule Corporation, where he landed, went into his room, and shut himself there for the remainder of the night.  
  
++++++++++++  
  
Videl stared after Trunks silently, before going over to Gohan and offering him a hand. "Do you think I hurt his feelings, Gohan?" She asked when she was sure that the purple-haired young man was gone from her room and vicinity.  
  
"I think...that you shouldn't say something like that again... I don't know him very well, he only came yesterday from the other timeline... guess I haven't told you too much about that... I will, just not right now." Gohan accepted the outstretched hand and pulled himself to his feet, still holding Videl's bear close to him.  
  
"Uh...ok. I brought you some food... are you hungry?"  
  
"Not really..."  
  
"....." Videl stared at Gohan hard, rather stunned by that development. "You're not?"  
  
"No..."  
  
"Oh... uhm...are you sick?"  
  
"Videl I'm fine... I should get going. I'm really sorry about what happened. G'night."  
  
Gohan got up and jumped over the balcony, leaving Videl behind with a big cart of food, a broken bathroom door, and a very confused string of thoughts racing through her mind. She shut the balcony door and laid on her bed, looking up at the ceiling, wondering why Gohan didn't want to tell her about what had happened like he was going to before that weird guy had showed up. 


	20. Ch19

Scars – Chapter 19 (begins right after Gohan and Goku's argument, before Gohan freaks out or goes to Videl's)  
  
After his fight with Gohan, Goku was feeling decidedly awful. He trudged back towards his home long faced, and low spirited. The brawny warrior actually considered not going back, maybe it would be better if he left altogether? He hadn't realized it at the time, and he wasn't sure why he had been acting the way he had, but the things that he'd said to his son really were inconsiderate and careless. He rubbed his chest, which ached with the tension he felt, and the anxiety.  
  
Goku pushed the door to his home open, feeling Gohan's energy erupt powerfully, far behind him along the path. He took a deep breath and schooled a calm expression onto his face.  
  
"ChiChi... I had another fight with Gohan..." Goku offered when his wife stopped him in the doorway, demanding to know where her son was. "Well I think he did most of the arguing.. er... I don't want to talk about it. Is Goten finished his reading? I'll put him to bed." Goku gently brushed ChiChi effortlessly out of his way, as she was standing there in front of him in effort to get him to explain what had gone on between he and Gohan. He ignored her screeching at his back and made his way up the worn stairs of their small house to Goten's bedroom.  
  
"Son? Are you finished your reading yet?" Goku asked, knocking lightly on the door and letting himself in.  
  
Goten was on the bed, staring at his book, but he was paying much more attention to Gohan's energy, which was going crazy, in his opinion. It was rare that Gohan lost it or let any real power out nowadays, and Goten wanted to go see what it was all about. He could also feel this...this...ache. His chest hurt, like he couldn't breathe, his head throbbed with an anger and a lack of control that he was more frightened of than anything else. He turned his eyes to his father.  
  
"Daddy something's wrong with Gohan..." he tried, closing his book and sitting up. Goten knew that Goku would come and sit beside him, they often chatted together before he went to bed. There was no way the young boy would be able to sleep unless his big brother relaxed, though.  
  
"Yeah, me and he had another argument, I'm sorry Goten... are you all ready for bed?"  
  
"No... I don't wanna go to sleep yet... Gohan's really, really mad... what if he hurts someone... or himself?"  
  
Goku blinked slowly at Goten. "Gee Goten, I don't think he'd do that, your brother's got a really tight hold over his power, he's just letting some of it out to cool off. You know, like when you cry if you fall and hurt yourself? Then you feel better after. He will too, after he lets it out."  
  
Goku sat on the bed, leaning his back against the wall and letting his legs stretch out over the side of the bed. Goten crawled into Goku's lap and frowned deeply at him, grabbing twin fistfuls of his father's gi top.  
  
"No but it isn't like that! He's all mad and sad and its making my tummy hurt and my head. Make it stop." Goten glared worriedly into Goku's eyes, his face a serious frown. Goku blinked in surprise.  
  
"Maybe you're concentrating on his ki too hard, just relax. Everything will be fine, don't worry. Do you want me to lay with you 'till you fall asleep?"  
  
Goten nodded, shaking his head and scrunching his eyes in effort to push Gohan's anger away from him, it was making him feel really strange and not in control of himself. He crawled under his covers.  
  
Goku laid down beside Goten, over the covers. He put one large, warm arm around his son and smiled at him, rustling his hair. "You've grown since I've known you, you're gonna be a handsome young man when you grow up Goten, you know that? I bet your mom will be really excited for some grandchildren... heh. She always is. So did you have fun at the lake with me today?"  
  
Goten nodded quietly and did not meet his father's eyes. He closed his own eyes and hid his face in Goku's warm chest, listening to the low rumble he could feel and hear when his father laughed.  
  
Goten could feel his big brother's fury pounding in his head relentlessly. His stomach knotted and twisted and bubbled, butterflies bouncing around inside of it and making him almost nauseous. He breathed as slowly as he could, but his breaths were more and more shallow as he inadvertently concentrated on the awful sense of rage. He opened his eyes and realized where he was when he felt Goku rubbing his shoulder, trying to snap him out of it.  
  
"Son what's wrong? Why are you crying, Goten?" Worry filled Goku's big black eyes as he shook the boy carefully with his large palm. When Goten's eyes turned to meet his, he locked onto them apprehensively.  
  
Goten blinked at his dad through the tears he hadn't known were there. "I'm so... its... *sniffle* Gohan... I can't help it Dad. How do I make it stop?" Goten pushed away from Goku, sitting up and rubbing his eyes fervently. He wrapped his arms around himself, trying to stop the tight anxiety that was making it impossible to breathe or stop crying.  
  
Goku stared at Goten, starting to realize that this wasn't just him feeling his brother's energy and being upset that Gohan was upset. But then what was it? Goku put a hand on Goten's shoulder, sliding it around his as he also returned to a sitting position. He rubbed his son's heaving back in effort to calm him. "Goten what do you feel... what's making you so upset? Gohan will be ok, I can feel his energy, he's fine."  
  
"Lonely Daddy... Big brother's lonely... and hurting. And other things I don't know words for... bad stuff... why does he hurt so much? He's mad... but more sad than mad. Make it stop! STOP IT!" Goten's power began to rise, and Goku frowned, trying to think of something to do. He wasn't terribly good with solving problems that couldn't be fought out, or figured out by someone smarter than him. But ChiChi would just flip out if he went and got her. He took another deep breath, hoping that if he at least remained calm, then maybe that might help Goten be calm too. He kept rubbing Goten's back and pulled him into his lap, hugging him close and rocking slowly.  
  
"Goten... you can feel Gohan's feelings?"  
  
"Yeah... they SUCK! They're bad feelings... hurting ones... Please make them stop... please..."  
  
Gou kept a tight grip on Goten, whose power leveled off and did not rise very much more. "Ok.. uhm... I haven't heard of that happening before... I think you must be focusing on him too much... focus on me instead... can you feel my feelings too? I'm worried about you Goten... I want you to be ok... and I love you and Gohan and ChiChi very much... can you try to focus on that son? You're strong... I'm sure you can..."  
  
Goten hadn't thought of where he was focusing, he was just feeling his brother's feelings. He held Goku's gi in his fist and tried to feel things from his father instead, but still Gohan's pain and fear and everything else pounded through him violently. His father's emotions were weak at the moment, in comparison to the huge rush of them coming from Gohan.  
  
However, Gohan's feelings began to even out, to become a steady pulse of awful things instead of a huge, throbbing mass of them. They ceased to assault Goten's mind and heart, and his breathing turned tired, as he recovered from the onslaught of his brother's sudden outburst.  
  
It was at this point that Goten could feel a quieter, calmer pulse of things, and they were definitely not coming from Gohan. They surrounded him with their closeness... this was his father's love for him. Goten shivered as his body released the anxiety that was preventing him from breathing normally, and his fists relaxed. He could feel everything that Goku had claimed would be there, and many more things as well. His father did love him... his father was gentle and kind and warm... he was powerful, protective, and dedicated to doing what he thought was right. Goten felt funny inside, and he hugged Goku tightly, as this wash of feeling overcame the awful pulse of hurt that Gohan sent.  
  
"Daddy... its ok now... it worked... thank you..." Goten whispered tiredly. He shifted and hugged Gou tightly around the neck, placing a kiss on his cheek and crawling into his bed. Goten's eyes fell shut and he was asleep quickly, with Goku looking puzzled down on him.  
  
"Gee Goten... that's really something you've got there... how'd you do that? Well... sleep tight son." Goku crawled off of the bed, looking closely at Goten to make sure he was indeed asleep. He closed the door over and dazedly went down the stairs to where ChiChi was glowering at the television and pinning a new gi together for Goten, who went though clothes constantly.  
  
"Hey, ChiChi?" Goku said, sliding onto the couch beside her.  
  
"Goku I'm busy...where's Gohan? What did you say to him?"  
  
Goku felt for Gohan's energy. He twitched when he felt it suddenly drop to unconsciousness at the moment he felt for it. Reaching further, he could feel a twinge in a familiar human ki that he knew to belong to Videl. Goku relaxed, vowing to keep a close watch on Gohan's power. It wouldn't be the first time he'd lost consciousness after freaking out.  
  
"Don't worry about that... ChiChi I think Goten is... uhm... I'm not sure there's a word for this...when I was putting him to sleep, he said he could feel Gohan's feelings."  
  
ChiChi raised a skeptical brow at Goku. "Goku maybe if you hadn't been dead, you would have been around to realize that he says things like that all the time. One time when he was only five I was carrying the groceries home and Gohan was babysitting him for me. I slipped and broke my ankle, and only a minute later Gohan appeared to help me home. When I asked him how he knew what was going on, he said that Goten had been screaming about me and throwing a fit. He was sleeping in the middle of the living room floor when Gohan brought me back... guess it tired him out.  
  
"You mean... he has always been like that?"  
  
"Yes, Goku. As long as I can remember. I thought it was going away... I guess he just isn't telling anybody anymore. I think it's a form of empathy. An empath is somebody who senses things from other people's minds or hearts. That's what Goten does."  
  
"Well that's...that's... I don't even know what that is... it could be good and bad I guess..."  
  
"Its most definitely not a good thing Goku! Think how awful Goten will feel if something really bad happens! What if you die again, and he feels all of my and Gohan's pain as well as his own... it would drive him crazy! I really thought it had gone away... that he'd grown out of it. We should do something about this."  
  
Goku gave ChiChi a confused look. "What could we do? We're not even sure exactly what it is, or how it works."  
  
"Well first of all, we should get it out in the open. Maybe if Goten doesn't feel so weird about being the only one who has this extra sense, then he won't be uncomfortable with it. And after that, I want you to train him to control it, so things don't overwhelm him and frighten or hurt him."  
  
"But...but ChiChi... why didn't you ever train him to control it then?"  
  
"I don't have time! I have enough on my hands trying to feed you three, and keep you from running around naked and filthy! Besides, I'm going to be teaching Gohan how to cook shortly. He's got to live on his own eventually you know."  
  
"Live on his own? Already? But he's only....wait... I was dead for seven years... oh. Wow... time really flies when you're not around... I wish I could have seen him grow up... Now he hates me."  
  
"Oh he does not, don't be silly Goku. Alright, I want you to train Goten to get control over this sense of his, and I will help Gohan get prepared to leave home."  
  
"You mean he's leaving right away?"  
  
"Yes... since you've been back, Gohan's temperament has been awful, he's been short-tempered and rude, and generally unhappy. I guess he's too old for us to tell him what to do any longer Goku."  
  
Goku frowned, not sure he was ready to go along with all of this. "OK ChiChi...I guess you know what's best for them."  
  
"Of course I do. Oh, and I made Gohan an appointment to get his eyes checked tomorrow."  
  
"Why? There's nothing wrong with him..."  
  
"Well he's been getting headaches, he told me. And when Trunks was here, he said that might be related to a small vision problem. I think its best to keep everything covered. If it isn't that, maybe he's too stressed out over something or other. You just can't be too careful, Goku. There won't always be dragonballs around to wish all of our problems away."  
  
"Ok Chi. Wow... all this talking is making me tired... you want to go to bed now? We can leave a light on for Gohan... he needs time to cool off." Goku wrapped an arm around ChiChi, wanting to do pretty much anything but talk about boring future plans for their kids. He was happy with the way things were. Well, not completely, but he didn't really want things to change.  
  
ChiChi put her work down and gave Goku a smile and a short kiss. "Well you'll need your strength, for tomorrow... we had better get a little rest."  
  
Goku grinned happily and scooped ChiChi easily into his arms, kissing her again and transporting her up the stairs to the bedroom. On the way, he went into Gohan's room, turned on his bedside light, and opened his window so he could easily fly in. As he passed Goten's room, he peered in, kissing his wife's throat when he saw that Goten was asleep peacefully, and appeared to be fine now. He closed Goten's door over and pushed the Master Bedroom door open with one foot, using the same foot to close the door behind them both. Goku kicked his boots off and set ChiChi on the bed.  
  
He removed the rest of his clothes, crawling over top of his wife and lavishing her pale flesh with careful, loving kisses. Goku undid her hair and raked his thick fingers through the silky black strands, lacing his fingers together with ChiChi's as he pulled her undergarments off and pushed her legs apart.  
  
Afterwards, the sturdy man relaxed against ChiChi and closed his eyes, pulling a sheet over them both and relaxing into sleep.  
  
ChiChi lay awake for only a few more minutes, looking up at the ceiling and catching her breath while she reveled in the feel of her husband breathing deeply and calmly in sleep at her side, his thick arm holding her safely against him. 


	21. Ch20

Scars – Chapter 20  
  
Gohan flew quickly away from Videl's quarters. His fingertips itched, a feeling he only ever got when he was experiencing regret for something he'd done or decided. And now was no exception, as Gohan felt definite guilt over his decision to let Trunks go and not come back. His stomach twisted uncomfortably as he hovered in the air above Satan City. He was attempting to decide if he should go tap at Trunks' window in effort to pledge an apology, or if he should try it another time and simply go home to get some sleep.  
  
Gohan drifted aimlessly, looking around at the tiny tops of people's heads far below him as he drifted through the air. The windy nighttime bit at his bare arms and sent frigid coldness through the whole of his body. Gohan rubbed his arm and raised his power marginally to keep himself from being affected by the cold. He felt as if he deserved to be cold for the way he'd been to Trunks, more than once already today.  
  
It was difficult for Gohan to place exactly how he perceived the scarred warrior. He had always looked at Trunks in the kind of light he'd looked at his father when the man was dead; golden. Gohan had always seen Mirai Trunks as a powerful fighter with a selfless heart and a strong will to do good. He had never really had any chance to find out who he was beyond his skill and his movements.  
  
Gohan mused over the lost and sad look he had clearly witnessed in Trunks' eyes every time he'd seen him. There must be pain there... something making him ache helplessly while the rest of the world sped by him. And the way he backed down before any situation could escalate into one that would leave him in an unfavorable light...did the Trunks from the future lack confidence in himself, or was it something else?  
  
The half-saiyajin continued to muse as he drifted along, considering what he'd learned about the young man earlier that day, when they had been speaking in Gohan's room. Trunks had explained that he'd come to this time because his own was demolished beyond repair, and because there were no others left alive with saiyajin blood in his time.  
  
Trunks wanted to be close to people who were like to him... Gohan was familiar with that sense. He too experienced the feeling that he was alone in the world when he was in a place where there were no other saiyajins, or half-saiyajins. But... Gohan knew he had something that Trunks clearly didn't have; he had Videl, and he never got that alone, sick feeling he'd just been considering when he was near her.  
  
On this line of thought, Gohan's mind wandered to considering the beautiful and fragile woman that he knew he was developing something of a fatal attraction to. He felt warm all over just thinking about her, and bad at the same time, because he knew that she probably didn't like him back. Gohan thought about how she'd been stroking his hair when he woke up in her house, on her floor. It was things like that, that made him feel like he needed Videl. Nobody else could possibly know so much about him, know how many awful decisions he'd made, know how strange he was... know everything that she knew, and still be his friend without any strings attached.  
  
Gohan found himself drifting over Capsule Corporation when he finally remembered to look where he was going. He didn't even recall making the flight between Satan City and West City, he was just there all of a sudden. Well. That made his choice an obvious one.  
  
He searched for Mirai Trunks' energy, discovering it at a specific point in the building and flying towards it. He came to a large window where the curtains were pulled shut to keep people from looking inwards.  
  
Gohan knocked politely at the window, and floated back slightly to wait for someone to figure out he was there.  
  
Gohan felt Trunks' ki stir slightly, and sudden anticipation, as well as unease filled him. He saw a light turn on in the room, a small bedside lamp, from the looks of it. A few moments later, Trunks' figure pulled back the curtains. He was wearing black boxers, and bright blue socks. He blinked slowly at Gohan.  
  
Gohan flew closer to the window, looking hopefully at Trunks. The lavender-haired half-saiyajin pushed the window open and moved aside for Gohan to have room to enter. He closed the window and blinds after Gohan, returning to the huge, extremely comfortable looking bed and crawling in, obviously eager to hide his mostly bare body from Gohan's eyes.  
  
Gohan silently entered and let his feet touch the carpet, which was white, like everything else in the room. Gohan instinctively looked round, and removed his shoes. Trunks was ignoring him. At least, he was not paying much attention to him, he was instead looking at his lap.  
  
"Trunks." Gohan began, taking a breath. Suddenly there was so much tension, where had that come from? He was sure he hadn't experienced it before. "My dad told me you said you were sorry about earlier today. You don't have to apologize, its alright. Don't worry about that, ok?"  
  
Trunks nodded quietly, tugging the covers closer to his chin.  
  
"Are you cold?"  
  
Trunks shook his head. "No... why did you come here? So you could ask me personally if I rendezvoused with the crocodile? I'll pass, thanks." At this Trunks laid down and rolled on his side, so that Gohan could not see his face.  
  
Gohan swam in his guilt, taking a few steps closer to the bed and thinking hard about how he should speak so that he didn't inadvertently set Trunks off. The other man seemed to be a ticking time bomb that would go off unexpectedly.  
  
"No, I didn't. Videl is sorry... after you left she said it again... she was worried she upset you. I guess she did. I didn't come to argue Trunks, please, on the contrary... I want to be your friend."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"I've always been curious about you. You came from the future and disappeared again after helping us fight the androids and Cell. You just came, and went. You never asked for anything in return... you died here... that was my fault. I'm sorry."  
  
Trunks snorted, still looking away from Gohan. He could feel the bed sink behind him as the son of Goku took a seat on the edge of it. Gohan's subtle warmth permeated the sheets and Trunks wanted to crawl closer to Gohan as much as he wanted to yell at him and tell him to leave.  
  
"You know, as many times as you apologize, its not going to make a difference. I want to be alone Gohan."  
  
"But you came here so you wouldn't have to be alone."  
  
"Well I didn't come here to make friends with you! Go away! Every time I look at you I see him! This place is full of ghosts! I look at Mom and I see my mom... its all the same.... You're ghosts. I should never have come here."  
  
Gohan put a hand on Trunks' side, shocked at what he was hearing. "Ghosts? You're not going to go back... are you?"  
  
"I don't know. Maybe."  
  
"No! You just got here! Give us some time Trunks.... It won't be so hard after a few weeks, maybe a few months. You'll-  
  
"Forget him? Them?"  
  
"Don't twist my words. You'll make new memories... ones that aren't about people you're never going to see again."  
  
"I don't want to cover up the bad things with happy, flowery things! I can't! If I don't remember them, who will? Nobody!"  
  
"Then keep your memories of them Trunks, but keep them in the back of your mind. You're depressed. You're unhappy and hurting and people here want to help you, but you won't let us. Its like you came here for attention but you're denying it.... Are you afraid that something will happen to us too? That we'll die and leave you too? We wont! Everybody here has been through many battles... just like you. I died... my mom and my little brother and everyone in the whole world was killed by Buu, and we got through it. Please look at me Trunks..."  
  
Gohan rubbed Trunks' side in what he hoped was a soothing manner, crawling further onto the bed to get in a better position to soothe the man beside him.  
  
Trunks felt his secret bubbling, trying to force its way out. Gohan's hands on him made him want to moan, and they made him want to cry at the same time. He couldn't stop the tears, though they came silently, and merely blurred his vision and stopped up his voice before he could utter the words he knew would completely change the light of their conversation.  
  
"Y-you don't understand...." Trunks squeaked, trying to make himself smaller, even as Gohan's hand rubbed his side, and now his back, which was bare save the sheets.  
  
"But I want to... You just have to help me. Maybe you need a little more time... take it. We have lots, as long as you don't go back there. Only a fool would purposely live in hell when they could be somewhere else."  
  
"Gohan I was in LOVE with Master Gohan!"  
  
Gohan's hand, Which was currently on Trunks' upper arm, gently massaging his muscles, stopped where it was. He replayed Trunks' words in his head exactly once, then felt uncertainty rising within him.  
  
Well now, here was a situation he hadn't expected, nor did he have any certainty on exactly how one treated a gay person in comparison to a straight person. Gohan blinked and recalled his first, and until now, his only experience concerning homosexuals.  
  
[[[ Videl and Gohan were walking through the mall in Satan City. Gohan hated the mall, there were so many people, and his senses of smell and hearing always went haywire whenever he was stuffed into a crowd, no matter where it was. He inched closer to Videl in attempt to quell the pounding of so many people talking and laughing, the incessant beeping of cash registers, and the hundreds, upon thousands of odors that assaulted him left, right, and center.  
  
"Hey Gohan, lets get outta here... I guess Erasa forgot we were gonna meet her. I hate this place, come on. Gohan?"  
  
This was before Videl had known any of Gohan's secrets, she knew only that he was unnaturally strong, and that he ate enough for twelve people. Gohan hadn't heard Videl. She tugged his arm, and he didn't move.  
  
"Hey Videl... look."  
  
Videl turned her eyes in the direction Gohan was looking, and saw two teenage boys kissing one another and sharing a hug. It was obvious to Gohan that they were kissing very intently, they didn't even seem to notice anybody else around.  
  
Videl had shrugged and tugged Gohan's immoveable form towards her again. "So... lets go."  
  
"Ok... but... why are those boys kissing like girlfriends and boyfriends do?"  
  
"Duh Gohan... obviously they're going out... jeeze you know you're really friggin strong? Come ON!"  
  
"Boys can't do that... Mom said that boys like girls, not other boys."  
  
"Reality check Gohan, you live in the middle of nowhere, so does your mom. She needs to update herself a little. People who are attracted to other members of their own sex are called 'homosexual,' so those two guys back there would fit into that category. Oh hey, I see Erasa... she brought Sharpner too! Lets go! ]]]  
  
Gohan frowned at Trunks, who was laying on the bed, caught up in that awful moment one experiences whenever one is waiting for an ultimatum. Would Gohan be alright with this, would he be disgusted... something else?  
  
"Oh... does that mean you're....oh what did Videl say... 'homosexual' Trunks?"  
  
Trunks rolled onto his back, recognizing that Gohan's tone was more curious than anything else. "Y-yes Gohan." He sniffled, wiping his eyes with the sheet and hiding himself under it right up to his neck again.  
  
"Uhm... and you loved the other me?"  
  
"I s-s-till do..." Trunk's eyes pooled with tears again as he pictured his Master laying with a huge hole burned through his chest, and one arm completely missing. Gohan had died with his eyes open, staring blankly at the rainy sky. Trunks closed his eyes, his face burning red with embarrassment at his tears.  
  
Gohan stared down at Trunks uncertainly, feeling uncomfortable now. He wasn't used to people being so emotional. His mother was, but she was never vague with her feelings, and she was as predictable as sunrise and sunset. His father was never one to just up and cry, and Videl was usually best at anger, other feelings didn't come really easily to her. Gohan realized that he had no idea what to do. He thought about Trunks telling him that every time he looked at him, or talked to him, he saw the other Gohan, the dead one. Gohan watched Trunks closely, assessing him.  
  
"Trunks... don't cry... I'm sorry. I didn't know... I guess I must look lots like him... Did the other me... uhm... did he love you back?"  
  
"Gohan I was thirteen... I never said anything. Besides, he was nine years older than me. I'm pretty sure it was just me. Master Gohan was very quiet about things like that... actually he was very quiet in general. I suppose its because he was afraid... It...it was best that he died instead of me... if I had died, then he would be the only one left... and he'd already seen Goku, and my father, and so many innocent people lose their lives. But... still I wish I could have him back. Gohan you won't... you know...tell this stuff to anyone, will you?  
  
Gohan shook his head, still slowly trying to process all the different things that Trunks was saying. He began to rub Trunks arm again, hoping that Trunks' tears would stop and stay stopped. "I won't say anything, not even to Videl."  
  
"Thanks Gohan."  
  
Trunks' tears did stop, slowly, and no words were necessary for the pair on the bed. Gohan continued to rub Trunks soothingly, hoping that his touch wasn't agonizing to Trunks because of his painful memories. It didn't seem to be, Trunks closed his eyes, and eventually Gohan realized that the other half-saiyajin was sleeping.  
  
"G'night Trunks..." Gohan said quietly, slowing his motions to a stop and removing his hand. Trunks didn't move at all.  
  
The black-eyed man got up carefully and pulled the blanket from the foot of the bed over Trunks' form. He went to the window and quietly let himself out into the night. 


	22. Ch21

Scars – Chapter 21  
  
Young Trunks blinked whenever he heard Gohan leave. The conversation he'd just completely eavesdropped on was incredibly interesting, and full of all sorts of possibilities. He pushed Mirai Trunks' door open and closed it behind him. He was wearing his pajamas, which consisted of a green t- shirt and drawstring flannelette pants with green and white vertical stripes on them. Trunks didn't like to wear socks to bed, he preferred to let his feet breathe. Of course, that might have been partially because he read so many medical books, and he had long ago learned all about pretty much every foot condition there was to learn about. He was very paranoid about getting sick. He was glad it had never happened before.  
  
Trunks stood over the side of the bed, just as he had when he was cutting Mirai Trunks' hair. He glowered at the man, thinking hard about what he'd heard.  
  
'If he's gay... then does that mean I am too? Is there a test you can take for that? Shit...'  
  
Trunks was terribly confused now. He walked around the bed and crawled in between the sheets beside Mirai trunks. He wanted to sleep in the same bed as him, for several reasons, none of which he was really sure of, or even aware of. This other him seemed so... well... he didn't even know. He was likeable, but not intimidating in the least. And he was incredibly powerful too. That was definitely something to make Trunks look up to his double.  
  
He laid on his side, facing the other Trunks. He hadn't brought his bear into the room with him, for fear that Mirai Trunks would think he was a baby if he knew that he still slept with a teddy bear. Trunks could feel body heat wafting off of his look-alike. He inched closer, wondering if this was like when he slept in the same bed as Goten and they snuggled closer together because it was warm and comfortable.  
  
Trunks pushed right up against Mirai trunks, who stirred in his sleep and opened his eyes. They were facing one another. It took Mirai Trunks a moment to realize where he was, and who he was looking at.  
  
"Nnnn... is something wrong Trunks?" He asked, blinking tiredly and offering a cat-like yawn.  
  
Feeling suddenly embarrassed for his actions, Trunks blushed and glowered darkly at the other him. "No. Of course not! What makes you think that?" He said rudely.  
  
"Well... why are you in my bed?"  
  
"Cause I am. Uhh... and cause there's a spider in my room."  
  
"A spider?"  
  
"Yeah. A big hairy one, with blue and yellow spots on it, and if I sleep in there its gonna crawl on me and... eww. I hate bugs. They're gross. Goten's big brother used to eat worms when he was little, did you know that? Goten told me. And he played with bugs... like Goten plays with lizards. Their whole family is weird. Heh... I wonder if Gohan still eats worms? Probably not... Eh... but I won't call him a pussy out loud cause you'll freak out again."  
  
"There's no spider in your room, is there Trunks." Mirai Trunks alleged aloud, giving his double a single raised brow and a small, knowing smirk.  
  
The boy blushed again, staring hard at his older self and slowly shaking his head.  
  
"So, then why did you really come in here?"  
  
"I was eavesdropping on you and Gohan."  
  
Mirai Trunks frowned, growling faintly from deep in his chest. He swallowed and gave a very disapproving look. "Trunks, that isn't right. Didn't Mom and Dad teach you that its not ok to listen to other people talking when they don't know you're there? Why were you listening to us?"  
  
"Cause, I heard you talking, and him, and at first I thought you guys were gonna argue, and I wanted to hear, but...uh... well then you told Gohan that you loved the him in your time and stuff... uhm... That's friggin weird. You know Mom's like, really homophobic?"  
  
"Trunks you're eleven, you're too young to worry about that. You shouldn't have listened to us talking."  
  
"Hey! You know perfectly well that I'm not dumb like other people my age. Don't treat me like I'm a stupid little airhead. Hmph. Yeah, so... are you and Gohan gonna have sex?"  
  
"What!? NO!" Trunks' whole face, neck, and even everywhere else turned beet red and he shifted quickly in the bed, stunned by his counterpart's forwardness. "What kind of question is that!? You only have sex with a person if you love them a lot... like if you want to marry them. Besides, its important that they love you back, and not only that, but the Gohan I loved...love... he's dead."  
  
"Yeah... guess that makes it hard to fuck him, huh."  
  
"Trunks! Don't talk like that! Its vulgar!"  
  
"Dad's vulgar all the time, so's mom, though not when I'm around so much."  
  
"And are mom and dad perfect examples of everything?"  
  
"I dunno... Man Trunks, I don't care. So... what's sex like? Is it fun? Mom and Dad seem to like it... They yell at each other and right when Dad's ready to blast Mom they always go in their room... one time me and Goten were playing in the yard and we came inside and they were on the kitchen ceiling...Dad was holding mom up there with his ki and uh... fucking her, I guess. He yelled at us to go back outside."  
  
Mirai Trunks gave his younger self an incredulous look. "On the ceiling?"  
  
"Yep, I swear its true, you can even ask Goten. I explained all about sex to him, cause he's too dumb to go and learn stuff by himself, he knows if he asks me that I know already. I'm lots smarter than him."  
  
"Well... you... we are geniuses."  
  
"Uh huh. So what's sex like?"  
  
Mirai Trunks blushed averting his eyes. "I don't know... I've never had any sex before."  
  
Younger Trunks frowned, displeased that his question wouldn't be answered. "Well that sucks, you're supposed to know stuff like that so you can tell me about it. Can you tell me about it when you and Gohan have sex?"  
  
"I will not! And we won't! Remember... you both have to love each other deeply, I only met Gohan a few times in my whole life... besides... uhm..." Trunks trailed off for a minute, taking a long, deep breath and looking at his other self seriously. "besides... every time I look at him I see Master Gohan... I just... I can't."  
  
Young Trunks watched the other him closely, feeling uncertain as to his course of action. "Your life really sucks."  
  
"Don't say that Trunks, I've got plenty of life left, and there are all kinds of opportunities for me here."  
  
"Yeah, but all that shit that you were telling Gohan... its pretty obvious that you're miserable."  
  
"I'll heal."  
  
"Yeah... so... changing the subject, cause you're gay, does that mean I am too?"  
  
"You're the only one who can tell... you'll just have to wait and see. You don't have to be straight, and you don't have to be gay. You are what you are, and not even you can change parts of that, like your sexual orientation. You might not know for a long time... I'm still not even sure. I've never had sex, I don't know exactly what I like, or don't like. I think... I think if I met a person who satisfied me, and made me feel good, inside and out, and if that person was something of a challenge and a pleasure to me... well if I met someone like that, I wouldn't care if they were a girl or a boy either way."  
  
"Oh... well if I'm a fruit then Mom's not gonna love me anymore."  
  
"Yes she will... she's your mom... she'll love you no matter what Trunks."  
  
"Not if I like boys."  
  
"Don't think like that." Trunks yawned, shifting into a more comfortable position. It was incredibly strange to have his younger self's warmth against him in the bed, it was comforting, but made him nervous and worrisome as well. "I should get some sleep... were you planning on staying in my bed tonight?"  
  
"Uhh... I don't know. I thought you'd be able to tell me if I was gay or not. I didn't much think past that."  
  
"Well take your time on that one, you're eleven, you have tons of time."  
  
"Sure... that's what you think. Next thing I know I'll have to run CC and I won't have time for anything."  
  
"We can talk about it tomorrow. I'm sleepy."  
  
"Ok. Can I stay here?"  
  
"Yes Trunks."  
  
"Kay... I will since you're so lonely and all... but... if you tell anyone, especially Goten, I'll blast you to the next dimension, got it?"  
  
"Got it... go to sleep."  
  
"G'night."  
  
*yawn* "Night."  
  
Mirai Trunks smiled tiredly at his counterpart and closed his eyes. He felt Trunks move close to him in the bed, and he felt the boy's hair tickling his chest, as well as warm breaths on his flesh. He drifted off to sleep, feeling safe, and not alone, for the first time in a long time.  
  
Young Trunks rested his cheek against Mirai Trunks' chest and also fell quickly asleep, his dreams calm. 


	23. Ch22

Scars – Chapter 22  
  
The following day dawned sunny and bright. Birds twittered back and forth in the treetops of the 439 mountain range, and all the members of the Son family woke later than usual, with the exception of ChiChi. She was up just after dawn, ready to start breakfast for her three boys whenever they decided to make an appearance. It seemed, however, that none of them were planning on doing anything of the sort for awhile yet.  
  
When she opened her eyes that morning, ChiChi had been veritably pinned to the bed by Goku's immoveable strength. She'd tried to wake him, but it was clear that he was soundly asleep, and by the small smile on his face, he was experiencing pleasant dreams.  
  
ChiChi was a tough woman, but she didn't have the heart to wake the brawny warrior, and so she'd settled for squirming out from under his arm, which was what pinned her in place, and checking on her sons, as she did every morning.  
  
Pushing the door to Gohan's room open and peering in, ChiChi saw him asleep in his bed, his feet sticking over the edge of it since he'd grown longer than the mattress was a few years back. Gohan slept on his stomach with his teddy bear snuggled against him under one arm. Smiling, ChiChi shut Gohan's door and proceeded to Goten's room.  
  
She opened his door, taking a look at him. Goten was sound asleep as well. He laid on his side in something of a fetal position, his knees bent comfortably. ChiChi closed Goten's door and made her way downstairs, starting a pot of tea to boil, but deciding to hold off breakfast for the time being.  
  
ChiChi sat at the table and went over everything she and her family had to do that day. Gohan's eye exam was in West City at ten AM. It was only six. There was still plenty of time for that, and he could go on his own, except ChiChi felt like maybe she should go with him. After all, she wanted to take him to look for an apartment after that.  
  
She also needed to teach him how to cook, although ChiChi suspected that he was picking it up already, from watching her do it so many times. He needed to learn to go grocery shopping, and clothes shopping...  
  
'Oh dear Dende... this is going to be too much for my baby boy to handle... am I doing the right thing...? Is he too young for this? Of course he's always welcome back home, he'll know that, but...but... what if something goes wrong? Maybe I should call Bulma and see if she's got anything to say about it. Yeah... but she's never up this early. Darn it! Ok... I'll make breakfast. I can cook... that doesn't take any thought at all.'  
  
ChiChi got up, her mission to let her family sleep in failed when she compulsively began to cook breakfast in great proportions to quell her nervous worries.  
  
+++++++++  
  
Upstairs in the Son home, Goten yawned, something tugging him from his sleep. He sat up, still half dreaming, and looked around his room, squinting at the bright morning sunlight that gleamed over the whole of his bed and walls. He yawned and got out of bed, still wearing his pajamas. They consisted of a pair of orange shorts and a red t-shirt that was too big for him.  
  
Goten wandered out of his room and through the hall, pushing Gohan's room open and crawling into his brother's bed. He looked at Gohan's sleeping face and shook his shoulder.  
  
"Gohan... wake up. I wanna play with you today Gohan." Goten whined, crawling right onto Gohan's back and rocking back and forth to disturb the young man's rest.  
  
Gohan groaned and his arm came up, wrapping around Goten's wrist. He tugged his brother down so he couldn't jump on him any longer, taking advantage of Goten's unbalanced position to wrap his arm around his little brother's waist and pin him in place. Goten squeaked and started laughing and struggling to get away. Gohan, through all this, kept his eyes closed, but there was a smile on his face. He really felt at peace when he played with Goten, he just hated waking up some mornings.  
  
"Ahh! Hahahha... Gohan, lemme up... Mom's downstairs and I bet breakfast is almost ready... Gohan? Hey wake up Gohan!"  
  
"Its morning squirt... us old people don't like to jumpstart our mornings by being used as living trampolines... I think that might even warrant you being tickled... unless, of course, you're willing to be a good boy and let me sleep some more..." Gohan said groggily. His words came out half mumbled, and he opened his eyes, peering at his little brother, who was now trapped in a bear hug. Gohan had both arms wrapped securely around Goten, who couldn't wipe the mischief from his eyes.  
  
"That's no fair... I wanna do something with you today... please big brother?"  
  
Gohan took in Goten's irresistible, hope-filled eyes, and he felt his willpower crumbling away, even as he considered tickling Goten until he made himself nearly sick with laughter.  
  
"That face should be outlawed squirt... very cute. What did you wanna do today?" Gohan released Goten from his hold, yawning and stretching as Goten hopped off the bed and bounced in place at it's side, giving Gohan room to get up. Gohan stretched again, scratching his head and sitting up.  
  
"Catch a dinosaur! Can we? Can Trunks come too? Please? And Videl? I like Videl, and its cool cause she can fly and fight and stuff! Please can we catch a dinosaur today Gohan?" Goten elaborated on how much he wanted to catch a dinosaur by jumping even more in place, his feet making the whole house shake. Gohan had to smile, even if he didn't think catching dinosaurs was very entertaining.  
  
"Sure squirt, and I guess we can call Trunks and ask him and the other Trunks if they wanna come along too. Don't you want to eat some breakfast first, though? I think I hear mom cooking downstairs, and I'm sure I can smell food!"  
  
Goten nodded, hopping out of the room and running down the stairs. Gohan put a hand over his face and groaned, sighing. "Why does it have to be so early in the morning..." he complained aloud.  
  
The insistent growling of his saiyajin stomach eventually convinced him that it was more worth his while to get out of bed and eat than it would be to stay in bed and sleep. It was, for the record, a tough battle, at any rate.  
  
+++++++++++  
  
Goku was also wakened by the scent of delicious breakfast sizzling downstairs. He blinked his eyes open slowly and realized that he was alone in the large bed he shared with his wife. He rolled onto his side, hugging a pillow and thinking quietly.  
  
'Gohan's down there... maybe I'd better get my own breakfast. Hmm... I wonder if Vegeta's up yet? Eh... I wonder if he slept yet, or stayed up all night training, like always. Oh well, better go see.'  
  
Goku got out of the bed. He was in the nude at the moment, and it took him a second to remember where his boxer shorts had gone. He smiled, pleased with himself, when he recalled his wife the night before, and he let these thoughts accompany him on his way to the shower.  
  
The powerful, however gentle man washed himself quickly from head to toe, foregoing the outdoor bath because his family was already awake, and it wouldn't be peaceful and quiet outside this morning. He returned to the bedroom with a towel wrapped around his slim waist, patting his arms and chest dry and scrubbing the water out of his unruly hair with a second towel. He tossed both towels onto the chair that was laden with various things in the corner of his and ChiChi's room, and pulled some training clothes on. Goku did some stretches, a hundred or so pushups, and smiled at himself in the vanity mirror before raising two fingers to his head and transporting himself to Vegeta's energy.  
  
"Morning Vege-oh." Goku stared at the prince of saiyajins, who was currently holding Bulma off the ground, against the wall of the bedroom, clearly eh... you know. Bulma's eyes were closed in ecstasy, her arms wrapped around Vegeta's neck, her nails digging trails into his shoulder blades. Goku blinked, staring at the pair for a long second, not really prepared for such a situation.  
  
Vegeta heard Goku's voice and sent a blast at him, which Goku dodged. The blast destroyed an intricate candelabra that had been attached to the wall.  
  
"Kakarot! GET OUT!" Vegeta barked, sending another blast after the idiot who was interrupting his time with his mate. Goku didn't need to be told twice. He held up his hands in apology.  
  
"Going...going... gee Vegeta me and ChiChi haven't tried it like that before- yikes!" Goku dodged another blast and bolted out of the bedroom through the door, which he wisely shut behind him. He grinned sheepishly and considered the possibility of having sex somewhere other than in a bed. He really hadn't thought about it before... it just hadn't occurred to him. ChiChi seemed to like things that she could predict and rely on... but maybe she'd like something different too?  
  
'Well Vegeta's obviously busy... hey I wonder if Trunks is feeling better this morning?'  
  
This thought prompted Goku to go off in search of Trunks, but this time he decided it'd be better to knock instead of just appearing in front of him. Dende knows what he might interrupt after what he'd just walked in on with Vegeta and Bulma. 


	24. Ch23

Scars – Chapter 23  
  
Eleven-year-old Trunks woke before the other him. He was startled awake by something...he wasn't even sure what... maybe something that happened in a dream. Either way, he was awake, and he didn't think he'd be going back to sleep. Once Trunks woke up, he rarely napped or lazed around, he was always much too busy for that. This morning, however, Trunks felt a little strange.  
  
He had been sleeping comfortably, sharing the bed with his older self. He really liked that idea, it was so comforting to him to know that there was a whole extra him out there, looking out for him. Its not that he couldn't take care of himself, he knew he was old enough not to whine like a little baby for things, just as he knew he was old enough to feed himself and dress himself and a whole load of other things that his parents had been letting him do for a few years already. But the other Trunks was even stronger and smarter and older than he himself was, and he was quickly realizing that he already held respect for that Trunks, even though he thought the man was girly, and kind of a pussy.  
  
People who could ascend to the second level of super saiyajin weren't pushovers.  
  
People who could admit things that scared them, or made them cry weren't pushovers either... well maybe the crying part was dumb, but the stuff Trunks had overheard his big self and Gohan talking about the night before had all been really serious, and his double had done a great job of keeping in control.  
  
Whatever it was that had started him thinking he wanted to sleep in the same bed as the other Trunks, young Trunks was really beginning to regret it. Something really embarrassing had obviously happened during his sleep, and he thought that it might also be what had woken him up.  
  
'Oh crap... aw eww... did I do that?' Trunks couldn't even place how he felt about the patch of white stuff on the front of his pants, and some on the bed sheets. He stared in disbelief, he could smell it, faintly, and he could see that the stuff was half dry, and half sticky still. He thought he might throw up, or cry or... or... he didn't even know what. And not only that, but he couldn't make 'Little Trunks' go down, so he couldn't go out of the bed. What if somebody saw him?  
  
Little Trunks was currently attempting to break through his pants, it seemed, and this caused the real Trunks to go completely red with embarrassed fear. As if things couldn't get any worse, he felt the other him shift, probably waking from his movements. Trunks felt mortification filling his whole body, and he tried to inch away from the other Trunks, slowly enough not to wake him up. Only...he couldn't. Mirai Trunks had his leg swung over chibi Trunks' legs, pinning him in place. He was trapped.  
  
'Oh no... now what do I do...' Trunks laid there, stalk still, tense as could be, with a bump poking up under the bed sheets where Little Trunks wouldn't go down, and waited for something, anything, to happen to save his pride.  
  
He took back his wish for anything to happen when Goku started knocking on the door loudly.  
  
"Trunks!? Hey, Truuunks... are you awake yet?" Goku called from the other side of the door, hoping that he could find out if the man from the future was feeling better today. He could feel Trunks' immense power, he wanted to spar with him if he was feeling better, and if he wasn't, Goku had been thinking about ways to help him feel better. After all, if he thought about Trunks, then he wasn't thinking about Gohan, so he couldn't feel guilty about how awful Gohan thought he was for his apparent carelessness. Goku still didn't completely see how it was him who was at fault... he wasn't even around... how could he have made his whole family so upset? Besides, Goten liked him, and ChiChi did too. Gohan just had to loosen up.  
  
"Trunks, can I come in? Oh... I'm coming in!" Goku announced, opening the door and leaving it wide open as he bounced into the room, not even noticing that there were two Trunkses in the bed.  
  
By this time, Mirai Trunks had started to wake up. He moaned softly and opened his eyes, immediately greeted by a face full of longish lavender hair. He inhaled and smelled his younger self's clean, fine hair, and he wrinkled his nose, as it was tickling his face. He felt content and safe and warm, and he didn't want to move. He squeezed the other Trunks tighter and whispered good morning to him, completely unaware of how that might have been received in other contexts.  
  
Meanwhile, Goku was staring at Trunks, and he had begun to realize that there was another Trunks in the bed with the first one. He frowned, trying to figure that one out. "Hey...how come there's two of you in here...? Are you guys awake? Trunkses??"  
  
Mirai Trunks frowned, realizing that he wasn't alone in the room with...er...himself. His voice came out about as irritated as one soft-spoken and overly polite, shy individual's voice can. "Goku... uhm... why are you here...?" He asked, twisting off of the other Trunks to give Goku a curious, sleepy look.  
  
"Eh... well I came to see how you were feeling, cause I thought you might still be upset..."  
  
Mirai Trunks stared at Goku for a long second. Before he could speak, younger Trunks did it for him, glad that this was at least something of a distraction from the problem in his pants. It would be one thing for his big self to find out –they were the same person at least– but he really didn't think he wanted his best friend's dad in on this too. "Have you asked your own son how he's feeling yet this morning? Did you wake him up too?"  
  
Mirai Trunks looked at the other him in surprise, then back to Goku for a response. Goku scratched the back of his head and gave that famous sheepish smile. "No... I uh... I left before I talked to anyone..."  
  
"How come?" Mirai Trunks prodded, earning him a pinch from the younger him, who didn't care about Goku's dumb family. "Ow! Trunks don't do that!"  
  
Goku stared at them both in confusion, then decided to answer Mirai Trunks' question because it was the easiest option. "Oh, well Gohan and me had a big fight last night. He's not talking to me. I thought it would be a little awkward at the breakfast table, so I came here to spar with Vegeta, but he's having sex with your mom and he yelled at me to get out. After that I thought I'd come see how you were, and while I was knocking on your door I thought we could spar, since you're even stronger than Vegeta! Wouldn't that be lots of fun? And we could have some breakfast, too!"  
  
Mirai Trunks felt himself blushing red, and beside him his double was attempting to suppress a giggle. Goku was just like Goten sometimes, oblivious as hell and sweet to a fault.  
  
"G-Goku... don't tell me things like that about Father and Mother! Its very nice that you wanted to see how I am doing...uhm... I had a good conversation with Gohan last night, he's helping me out... you don't have to worry about it anymore." This was as close as Trunks could get himself to telling Goku to get the hell out and not let the door hit him on the ass while he was at it. He looked up to the man, respected him, and really didn't want to be awake so early in the morning.  
  
Goku gave a smile that didn't reach his eyes, and he nodded, leaving the room. He dropped his smile when he closed the door behind him and wandered his way to the kitchen, helping himself to a huge load of food in attempt to nurse his wounded feelings better.  
  
After Goku was gone, Mirai Trunks rolled back over to face his younger self, and wrapped his arms around the boy again. He closed his eyes with the intention of going back to sleep. The other Trunks frowned uncomfortably, he didn't like all this touching and stuff... its not like him and the big Trunks were gonna have sex...eww. He squirmed and pushed Trunks off of him.  
  
"Lemme go..." Young Trunks complained, moving carefully, so as not to reveal his little problem.  
  
Mirai Trunks' big blue eyes opened and pinned themselves on his double's face. "Did I do something wrong?" He asked, shifting and propping his head up with his hand, his elbow on his pillow.  
  
"Jeeze, you sound like a girl again... how come you're like that so much? Its embarrassing, cause people are gonna think I'm like that too. I just... I don't wanna cuddle.... You're squishing me against you like a teddy bear... I'm not!"  
  
"Oh... I didn't realize... I'm sorry Trunks, I'll give you your space. Did... did I keep you awake in the night?"  
  
Trunks shook his head, annoyed with his other self. "No! I'm fine... just don't squish me. I guess I didn't keep you awake either, huh."  
  
"No, I slept really well, actually. Kind of like when I used to share my bed with Master Gohan when we were both tired from training... only I was the smaller one then."  
  
Trunks gave his counterpart form the future a glare. "You may be gay, but I don't know what I am... don't try an' turn me... I'll make my own choice. I'm goin' to get some breakfast." With that Trunks sat up with the intention of getting out of the bed and running straight for the bathroom. He glared at his other self. "Well...aren't you going back to sleep?"  
  
Mirai trunks smiled. "You're lots like Father, Trunks. Is something wrong?"  
  
"No!"  
  
"Of course not." Trunks gave half a smile, looking at the bed, not really looking at anything.  
  
"Aren't you going back to sleep?" Younger Trunks demanded impatiently, still sitting in place and trying to hide his problem.  
  
"I guess so..."  
  
"Most people sleep with their eyes closed!"  
  
"You don't want me to see you get out of bed?" Mirai Trunks intoned curiously, searching Trunks' face for an answer.  
  
"Just close your stupid eyes!"  
  
Mirai trunks closed his eyes obediently, sighing. "Trunks, I know what's going on, I'm you, you don't have to be embarrassed. That happens to every boy. Happened to me too when I was your age."  
  
Young Trunks looked down a this lap, covered by the sheets, and back to the other Trunks. "Yeah?"  
  
Mirai Trunks nodded his eyes still closed. "Yes."  
  
"Well good for you, keep your eyes closed and.... and... tell me how to make it go down!"  
  
"Uhm... Trunks, you're going to have to figure that one out on your own... how about this. I'll get up and go see if I can help Goku feel a little better, and you can have this whole room to yourself to figure that little problem of yours out. I promise we won't come in here. The bathroom is right there...er... you might want some Kleenexes or something."  
  
Young Trunks stared with wide eyes at his double and slowly nodded, noting that Trunks had opened his eyes when he was talking. Mirai Trunks got out of the bed and frowned at the empty dresser. "I don't have any clothes..."  
  
Trunks gave an exasperated sigh from the bed. "Well figure something out... are you sure it'll go down, Trunks?"  
  
"Yes, I promise... you'll be fine, that's perfectly normal. Guess I'll just wear what I was wearing yesterday..." Mirai Trunks put his clothes on, hoping that his little self would be alright and not get all worked up over something so normal and harmless. He had a feeling this was the beginning of many weird situations to come. He did his belt and tucked the black wife beater into it, flickering his gaze back to Trunks, who was pulling the sheets around himself and looking half scared, half determined not to look scared. Mirai Trunks smiled at him.  
  
"Just come down when you're ready."  
  
Trunks nodded quietly, and Mirai Trunks exited the room, closing the door behind himself. 


	25. CH24

Scars – Chapter 24  
  
Goku scavenged for some breakfast in the fridge and pantry, helping himself to a huge pile of assorted goods, some of which he was clueless as to how to prepare, and so he simply ate them raw, or straight out of the package. For example, one unfortunate can of vegetable soup had the fate of receiving a burn hole in its top, then being squeezed into the saiyajin's waiting mouth like a pasty, and decidedly un-refreshing beverage. Goku shuddered a little at the soup and set the can down, trying a different kind. This one was chicken noodle, and he started choking on the noodles when Mirai Trunks came into the room and took the can out of his hand, pounding him on the back.  
  
"Goku! What are you doing!? That's soup, you have to add water, and cook it!"  
  
Goku blinked his watery eyes and swallowed a little uncertainly. "Well... I was hungry... it tasted fine to me..."  
  
Trunks sighed with due exasperation and patted Goku on the shoulder. "Would you let me make you some real breakfast, Goku?"  
  
"You can cook?" Goku gave an incredulous and hopeful expression.  
  
"Well I don't know if it stacks up against ChiChi's cooking, but yeah, I can cook some. Would you like me to make you some breakfast?" Trunks repeated his question, smiling helplessly at the endearing vulnerabilities that Goku revealed to him.  
  
"Yes, please!" Goku exclaimed, pushing his gathered goods aside and sitting at the ready.  
  
Trunks gave Goku another pat on the shoulder and took the egg carton that the somewhat brainless saiyajin had clearly been intending to eat directly out of in attempt to subdue his appetite. He poked around the kitchen for the frying pan, and began to make Goku the entire carton of eggs. He also put a huge amount of rice in the industrial sized steamer, and furthered his preparations by snatching up some sausage links and putting them in another pan on the stove. Trunks heated the oven up on low, so that he could keep the food warm while he made more, so that there was enough for both himself and Goku to eat. He paused, placing a hand on his hip and considering the eggs that were burbling in the pan.  
  
'Father and younger Trunks will be hungry too, better make enough for everyone.' This was the beginning of a very long cooking session. Trunks hadn't ever done this before, he'd only ever made enough for himself, and his mother to eat. He smiled, thinking that it was a really nice feeling to help other people in a different way from fighting for them.  
  
While everything was cooking, Goku came up behind Trunks and looked hopefully at the items on the stove. Trunks saw his Adam's apple bob as he swallowed hungrily, and twisted around to face the broad saiyajin.  
  
"Goku you've got to be patient, it'll take awhile for everything to cook. Do you want some coffee?" Trunks asked, gesturing to the pot of coffee that had been brewed before either of them got into the kitchen. Goku shook his head.  
  
"Nope, I don't drink that stuff, Bulma explained to me a long time ago that its got stuff in it that's bad for you and makes you hyper, then tired, and moody. Maybe Vegeta drinks lots of coffee? I'd love some orange juice though..."  
  
At this Trunks headed to the fridge and stuck his head in, searching for orange juice. While he was looking for it, Goku snagged a sausage and stuffed it in his mouth, his eyes widening in surprise when it burned his tongue. In effort not to let Trunks see that he'd taken a sausage, Goku grit his teeth and blinked his watering eyes repeatedly.  
  
'Owie....' Thought the foolish warrior, slinking back to the table and seating himself there with a look of regret on his face. Trunks glanced at him from the corner of his eye and presented him with a pitcher of orange juice, which the cheery man gulped down appreciatively, wincing when the cold made his poor abused tongue sting.  
  
Trunks stared at Goku's back for a long moment, returning to the stove and contemplating his cooking while he tended to it every little bit, and guarded it from Goku. Ten minutes later found him switching everything up. He popped the sausage links and eggs into the oven and started more of them on the stove to cook while the others kept warm. He then went to lean against the coulter by the rice cooker, sipping a mug of coffee slowly.  
  
Trunks' mind wandered through various thoughts. He considered the power that he'd revealed to Vegeta the evening before, and wondered still if his father did, or did not approve. He very much wanted the prince's approval, he wanted some sign that Vegeta liked him, even just a little. He again replayed Goku's words in his head, realizing that the only thing he could do was his best and hope that Vegeta happened to be there when he accomplished something significant.  
  
As he was thinking this, Trunks' eyes drifted to rest on Goku, who also seemed to be lost in thought. He had his hands clasped together on the tabletop, and was leaning back in the chair with his feet flat on the floor, legs comfortably spread. The normally cheerful man was almost glaring at the surface of the table, a dark and unpleasant look in his eyes. Trunks straightened himself, closing the space between them. He pulled out a chair and sat down, leaning forwards on his elbows.  
  
"Goku, what are you thinking about?" he asked carefully.  
  
Goku blinked up at Trunks. His mind had been replaying to him the way Gohan's expression had flown from hurt, to sorrow, to rage during their conversation the previous evening. He sighed heavily and shook his head as if to clear it. "Nothing... Gohan said I shouldn't tell anybody about it."  
  
At this Trunks' brows lowered in confusion. "What do you mean... is there something that you're keeping to yourself that would hurt other people? You don't seem like that kind of person to me."  
  
Goku shrugged his shoulders and made fists of both his hands, straightening in the chair. "Its complicated. I shouldn't talk about it. Is breakfast ready yet?"  
  
"You'll have to wait a little longer, so that there's enough for everyone. Its rude to eat before everyone else gets to eat too."  
  
"ChiChi says the same thing." Goku looked away, at a piece of artwork hanging on one of the walls. It depicted cheerful flowers, painted in bright and generous stokes that were so fluid they made the picture seem to blow in the wind. He felt like he was choking. Like he was trapped.  
  
"Goku... I won't force you to tell me anything... you just seem like you need someone to talk to. You helped me out yesterday... I thought I could do the same."  
  
"Yeah but Trunks..." Goku trailed, looking at the young man, his eyes again filled with uncertainty and sadness.  
  
"Yes..."  
  
Goku's face was quickly split with a wide grin that didn't touch his eyes. "Oh don't worry so much... everything's fine, honest. Oh, hey Vegeta! Trunks is making breakfast for us... do you wanna spar after we eat?"  
  
Vegeta stalked into the room and immediately poured himself a mug of hot coffee, into which he poured four sugars, and no milk. He set it down on the table and shook a fist at Goku.  
  
"Kakarot! How dare you interrupt me when I am busy with my woman!? Fool... why aren't you at home with your own family? Must you come and annoy mine instead?" Vegeta didn't even look at Trunks, and his cheeks were very red as he glared at Goku vehemently.  
  
Goku pulled his classic smile and scratched behind his head, eternally grateful to Vegeta for walking into the room when he had. He wasn't sure he liked the way Trunks was trying to get him to talk about his relationship with Gohan. He didn't like to talk about himself at all.  
  
"Sorry, if I'd known that's what you were doing I wouldn't have come in, oh well. Hey, sit down, cheer up!"  
  
Vegeta glared at Goku blackly and took a seat at the opposite end of the table, continuing to glare at him while he crossed his arms and his legs, leaning back in his chair.  
  
Trunks felt very strange, caught up between the two extremes of pleasantry and fury. He nervously got up from his seat and slid the chair back into place, skittering to the stove and tending to breakfast.  
  
'Man Father really doesn't like Goku... but Goku never lets anyone see if it hurts his feelings or not. I wonder what ever happened to him to make him this way? Doesn't anything faze him?'  
  
Bulma came into the room, her cheeks pink, and her short hair wet from the shower. She was wearing a fluffy robe tied at the waist, and fluffy slippers to match. She yawned and gave Goku a smile. "Hey Goku, use the door next time, would you? Oh, Trunks, sweetie, you're cooking breakfast? Great...that smells really wonderful, let me see!"  
  
Bulma walked past Vegeta and Goku to her future son's side and looked at what he was making, then went to get herself a cup of coffee. She drank it black. Bulma nursed her mug in her hands while she leaned sleepily against the counter, half a smile on her face. Mirai Trunks looked from Goku, to Bulma, to his father, and went to his mom's side.  
  
"Mom... uhm... could I talk to you?" He asked, looking at the floor.  
  
"Sure honey, what's up?" Bulma replied, blinking her bright blue eyes at him inquisitively.  
  
"Well... I kind of need some things... like... clothes and stuff. And a toothbrush... and deodorant...that kinda stuff. I didn't take any of it with me, I was thinking about M... about... uhm... I didn't take any of that stuff with me." Trunks couldn't bring himself to look at Bulma. It was easy to see Vegeta and Goku and even Gohan... but Bulma... it had been entirely too recent for him...her death, that is. He just couldn't do it.  
  
"Oh... of course! Do you want me to go with you and help you pick out some nice clothes?"  
  
Trunks' eyes widened and he shook his head. "N-no, that's fine, I was thinking of asking Gohan if he wanted to come with me."  
  
Bulma sipped her beverage and nodded in understanding. "Of course baby... here... let me get my purse." Bulma set her coffee down and made her way past Vegeta and Goku, who were trying to glare at one another and ignore one another at the same time. She went into the hall and retrieved her purse from the hall table, which had a large, decorative mirror over it. She rummaged around and pulled out roughly a thousand dollars. She returned to the kitchen, handing Trunks the money.  
  
"There you go Trunks, and if that's not enough you just come back and I'll give you some more... get yourself whatever you want."  
  
Trunks looked at all the cash in his hand and sweatdropped. "Uhm...thanks mom, I'm sure this'll be plenty... I just need a few things... some clothes and stuff.... Uhm... maybe Gohan wants to have breakfast somewhere..."  
  
"Oh you go, I'll finish up breakfast. Have fun!"  
  
Trunks felt really weirded out by his mother's overly niceness. He wondered if she was only like that after she had.. ahem... after she and his father were... together. He blushed terribly thinking about that, and went into another room to call Gohan's house and see if he wanted to eat with him. 


	26. CH25

Scars – Chapter 25  
  
Goten watched his mom come down the stairs grumbling and stomping, and he gave his big brother a wary look, obediently continuing his breakfast. Gohan blinked in the direction of ChiChi, and before he had a chance to start any breakfast at all, the phone rang.  
  
"Hello?" ChiChi answered irritably, glaring at the wall as she listened to the caller's voice.  
  
"Yes, just a minute... I'll get him." Gohan! Phone!" ChiChi shouted, holding the phone out for her eldest son. He took it carefully from her hand and put the receiver to his ear.  
  
"Uhm...hello? This is Gohan..." He tried. He rarely spoke on the phone, and he knew it wasn't Videl, because she had a martial arts class to teach at the moment. There was a moment of silence, in which Gohan directed his eyes to his little brother. Goten had twisted around in his chair and was looking at Gohan with great curiosity. Gohan frowned at him and wandered out of the kitchen, stretching the phone cord so he could go into the living room.  
  
"Gohan?" Trunks' voice came from over the line, then some soft breathing.  
  
"Oh, hi Trunks, I was wondering who'd be calling me, what's up?" He asked, a smile coming to his face.  
  
"Uhm... well I was wondering if you were busy today. Mom gave me some money to go shopping for things... and uh... well I'd kinda like a second opinion. And we could go out for breakfast, too."  
  
"Gee, really? That sounds like fun, hold on a sec, and I'll ask my mom, kay?"  
  
On the other end of the line, Trunks wondered why a twenty year old man was asking his mother for permission to go anywhere at all. Meanwhile, Gohan had put the phone down and gone back into the kitchen.  
  
"Hey, uh mom? Can I go have breakfast and do some shopping with Trunks today?"  
  
ChiChi shook her head. "No, you most certainly can't! You have an appointment with an optometrist at ten am, and you aren't missing it!."  
  
"I do? But there's nothing wrong with my eyes Mom! Besides, Trunks needs to buy some clothes and things, and he asked me to go with him..."  
  
At the table, Goten stuffed his mouth full of food and jumped off the chair, glomping onto Gohan's leg. "Can I go too big brother... please?"  
  
Gohan looked down at his little brother. "You wanna come shopping in the mall with us?"  
  
"Yeah! Please?"  
  
Gohan looked back up to ChiChi. "Mom, if I take Goten with me for the day, then can I go? You can give me the address of the optometrist and me and Goten and Trunks can go there while we're out. Please?"  
  
ChiChi put both hands on her hips, scowling at her sons. "Oh fine...."  
  
"Yay!" Goten exclaimed, hopping off of Gohan's leg and attaching himself to his mother's legs instead. ChiChi looked down at him with a faint smile.  
  
Gohan dashed back to the phone and picked it up. "Hello, Trunks? My mom said I could go, as long as I take Goten with me, and as long as we go to my appointment at the optometrist."  
  
Trunks smiled, feeling a little scared, but more pleased than anything else. Now he'd have a chance to spend the whole day with Gohan, and Trunks was sure Goten would be no trouble. "Great, uhm... I'm not even sure where the mall is, so maybe I'd better head over there and you can show me, sound good?"  
  
"Sure Trunks, I'll see you soon."  
  
Both half-saiyajins hung up their phones. Gohan picked up Goten and poked him lightly in the middle. "You gonna promise me you'll be good today, squirt?"  
  
Goten giggled and nodded, hugging Goten. "Sure, will you buy me ice cream?" Goten could see the way his big brother's feelings were calmer whenever ChiChi let him do something. He'd also seen that she wasn't going to let Gohan go anywhere at all with Trunks today, because, for some reason, she didn't seem to like him much. Goten was glad he was able to help in some way.  
  
+++++++++++  
  
Vegeta and Goku ate their respective portions of breakfast, not really looking too friendly towards one another. Goku, ever the cheerful avatar of carefree pleasantries, could not help but frown today, and in response his darker, and decidedly less cheerful prince was offset from his routine, making him especially malignant.  
  
Bulma nursed her coffee while she picked at a bowl of fresh cantaloupe slices. She was seated between Goku and Vegeta, caught in the middle between their respective glowering. She finished up her meal and looked from one of them to the other.  
  
"Well you boys are certainly in a fine mood this morning, you both look like someone shot your dog. What's wrong with you two?"  
  
As Vegeta was going to insert (rudely!) that there was exactly nothing wrong except that Bulma was sticking her big nose into his business, Goku smiled helplessly, scratching the back of his head in his classic and sheepish manner. "Sorry Bulma, didn't realize. Everything's alright, me and Vegeta are gonna go blow off some steam after we eat. Guess we're getting ready a little early."  
  
Bulma and Vegeta both gave Goku a skeptical look, each of them feeling as though the smiling saiyajin countenance was lying straight to his or her face. Bulma's eyebrows shifted, and Vegeta shook his head ever so imperceptibly, turning back to his food.  
  
"Alright Goku. So how is ChiChi? I haven't talked to her in a few days... more like a few weeks, come to think of it. She hasn't been calling me like she usually does."  
  
"ChiChi? Oh she's great... she told me that Gohan's going to university next week, and that she wants him to move out."  
  
"Did you know about that already, Goku? His school, I mean. Man... Never thought I'd see the day that ChiChi would be ready to part with her baby boy. What's Gohan taking in school?"  
  
Goku shrugged. "I dunno... he didn't tell me."  
  
"Didn't you ask him?"  
  
"Uh... no.... was I supposed to? I didn't think it mattered much... Gohan's really smart, whatever it is, he'll do great." Goku smiled that awful half smile again, the one that just would not reach his eyes, no matter how he tried to make it. Bulma nodded slowly.  
  
"I see... well I'd better hop in the shower and get to work, I have tons to do today. Don't kill each other, you guys." Bulma got up and left the room, presumably to shower and dress for the day.  
  
This left Goku and Vegeta alone at the quiet breakfast table, trying to ignore one another, for the moment. Goku looked at his plate, not even sure he was hungry anymore. Everybody disapproved of his actions and choices when he wasn't actively saving the world. Why did they think he was so great, then? He couldn't help but feel discouraged, his thoughts were becoming unpleasant, and he shared them with nobody but himself, which made them circle through his mind almost constantly, without release.  
  
"Kakarot." Vegeta derailed Goku's train and the younger saiyajin blinked up at his prince.  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"What the hell is wrong with you? Is your insolence coming back to bite you in the ass, hmmm?"  
  
"Insolence?"  
  
"Yes. Your utter lack of regard for your mate and spawn."  
  
"Oh... uhm... I don't know."  
  
"Hn... why did you come here?"  
  
"Uh... cause me and Gohan aren't getting along too good."  
  
"Yes, and why do you think that is?"  
  
"Cause he doesn't like me."  
  
"Grrr... don't be a fool, use your mind Kakarot, surly you can see where your choices had effect on his life?"  
  
"You mean cause I left, he didn't have me there when he was growing up."  
  
"Precisely."  
  
"So? Gohan's really smart and stuff... he did fine. Look, he's even going to university and he's really powerful... I'm so proud of him." Goku smiled, looking off and up as he pictured his son as a successful man.  
  
"That is the part you are missing. I am not your therapist Kakarot, but I can clearly see that your eldest brat is hurt by your actions, and it is up to you to remedy this."  
  
"Me? You mean he's not gonna like me till I apologize for going to Otherworld?"  
  
"You have to mean that apology, and even then, he'll likely resent you anyway. I wouldn't forgive such actions, were I in his position."  
  
Goku sighed, looking to Vegeta again for a long moment, and thinking about how it had been when he was just Goku, not Goku and family. He missed being alone. He wondered what it might be like to travel the world, the universe. Maybe even with Vegeta, though could... could... well, come to think of it, there wasn't much that he and Vegeta could really do together. Their families seemed to hold them close, not their bloodline. Goku had a feeling that had Vegeta come to live on earth and not stayed with Bulma, that he wouldn't see much of the short prince at all. As it was, Goku was ready for a good hard fight, and little else. He pushed out of his chair and gave Vegeta a challenging look, pushing their conversation out of his head and leaving the room.  
  
Vegeta curled his fingers into a fist on the tabletop and got to his feet, following the young idiot out of his kitchen.  
  
+++++++++++  
  
Videl bowed to her class of ten promising fighting students, wishing them a good morning, while she led their stretching routine. She wondered how Gohan was feeling this morning. Actually, she wasn't sure she wanted to know at all. She was hard pressed to believe that everything was fine, considering the events of the previous evening.  
  
Videl shivered when she recalled her sudden shock and even fear at Gohan, possessed by whatever had caused him to lose control of himself and rush to her side. Why did he come to her? Why didn't he got to... to someone else?  
  
Well, she knew perfectly well that Gohan loved her as a friend, and she was beginning to suspect that there was more to it than that. However, Videl was shaken up by his demonstration of instability, and frankly, she wanted him to get a hold over himself. Honestly, running in on her in the shower just because of a fight with his dad? She'd fought with her dad plenty of times, and she'd never lost it and been unable to handle herself without clinging to a friend.  
  
Videl had real difficulty appreciating some of Gohan's softer, weaker qualities and quirks. That wasn't about to stop her from standing behind her friend through anything he needed her for, though. Videl knew that Gohan relied on her, and she did the same with him. It was just hard to accept all of him, sometimes. But she was trying, as hard as she could, and she really believed that things were good between them.  
  
Of course, now there was a strange boy from Dende knows where, and he was also a half-saiyajin. He'd whisked Gohan away form her room last night without barely saying anything. In fact, it was his quiet and collected demeanor that Gohan seemed to latch onto when he followed the boy...man... out of her room. Videl's fist curled, not in jealousy, or anger, rather. Hhe didn't know who this person was, and Gohan had never really mentioned him. Despite that, the lavender haired man easily calmed Gohan and got him to regain his control. But what made Gohan immediately trust this person? Their shared blood?  
  
Videl turned her eyes to her class to begin the lesson, deciding to give the students a real workout in order to help her relieve some of her own frustrations. 


	27. Ch26

Scars - Chapter 26  
  
Mirai Trunks decided to take a warm shower before he went to see Gohan. He felt his heart fluttering, not because he was excited, or worried, in fact he didn't know why. This was something he'd never really experienced, the feeling of hope, excitement... maybe even joy at the prospect of going and picking out things for himself that wouldn't get blown up by evil earth stomping androids from hell. Or thereabouts.  
  
Trunks marched up the stairs, grinning helplessly because he felt so energized from spending the last few days in this time. He came to his bedroom, the one that he was quickly coming to think of as his, and nobody else's. It was a great feeling to think like that. To know that nobody was going to blow it up, to know that he wasn't going to have to throw things out because he'd bled all over them and destroyed them. Trunks leaned his forehead against the doorframe and took a deep breath, opening a palm and touching the wall beside the door, simply trying to take in all of his luck at surviving through his life and ending up in what was starting to seem like paradise.  
  
Trunks opened the door and closed it behind himself.  
  
"HEY! You said you wouldn't come in here!" Trunks heard his younger self's startled and betrayed tone as the boy came out of his bathroom, toweling off his hair, another towel wrapped around him. He glared at his older self, obviously feeling like he'd been lied to.  
  
"I'm sorry Trunks, I forgot you were in here... would you like me to leave?"  
  
Ten-year-old Trunks shook his head, snorting and throwing his hands up as he muttered to himself, stalking past his elder self. "Is there any breakfast left?" He asked, glowering at Mirai Trunks.  
  
'I hope he's alright, maybe he's feeling upset or something cause of earlier... I wonder if he figured it out?' Trunks blinked quizzically at his double, who was giving him the same look, only a grumpier version of it. "There should be, unless Goku and Father ate all of it. I.. uhh...did everything go alright?"  
  
Trunks stared up at his counterpart, looking at the man like he was stupid. "Like I'm telling you! Don't forget me next time... and knock or something." Trunks turned his little nose up into the air and stalked out of the room, his cheeks burning with embarrassment the moment he finished speaking, though he managed to hide it from the other him until the door was shut behind him.  
  
This left Mirai Trunks standing in his room alone, blinking at the closed door and looking confused. He shrugged, figuring that Trunks was probably pretty scared or embarrassed or something, and began to undress himself. He made his way into the bathroom, which was warm and damp from his double's recent shower.  
  
Trunks blinked at himself in the large mirror that hung over the whole wall above the counter and sink. He blinked at his bare chest, rubbing between his pectorals with one open palm and wondering to himself if there was something he could do to get rid of the awful scarring that covered him. He removed his socks and boxers, looking away from his awful image in the mirror, and turning the water on nice and hot. He relaxed once he was in the shower, lathering himself up and feeling that giddiness again, simply from the small pleasure of being able to take a long hot shower and not worry about anything but remembering to wash behind his ears.  
  
Trunks turned off the water when he was finished, breathing in slowly through his nose to take in the delicious and fragrant scent of the body wash he'd discovered in the shower. He stepped out of the stall and toweled himself dry, using a small rise of his own energy to completely evaporate any water that remained on his skin. He exited the steamy room and put his only clothes back on, feeling like his shower was ruined because he was changing back into dirty clothes. Like he'd never had to do that before, though. There was really no sense in worrying about it. Trunks tied the laces on his yellow boots and made sure he had the money his mother had given him. When he deemed himself presentable, the lavender-haired young man left his bedroom, closing the door over behind him. He exited the house, walking through the kitchen and living room and leaving through the back door. He noted that his father and Goku were no longer at the table, nor were they in the gravity chamber. A short search proved them to be quite far away. He assumed they'd be battling it out at any moment.  
  
Trunks leapt into the air and made his way towards Gohan's energy, his heart thumping heavily in his chest, not from effort or exertion, but, again, from excitement. That sense that none of what was happening was actually real slid through him, and made it easier to smile as the wind whipped at his awfully short hair and made it stick up of its own accord.  
  
++++++++++++  
  
Goten ran away from Gohan, who was apparently getting a little ticked. Ok, make that a lot ticked. Gohan had been trying to get Goten to wear dumb looking and uncomfortable clothes on their trip to the mall, and Goten wanted to wear his training gi.  
  
"Its in case I have to save the world while we're shopping Gohan! I can't look like a dork while I'm doing it.... Trunks'll laugh at me!"  
  
"Goten, we aren't going to see that Trunks at the mall today, and if the world needs saving, Mirai Trunks and I can take care of it, and you can help. But you don't have to look cool to save the world! Remember, Great Saiyaman's costume was cool, but everyone else thought it was silly looking. Just goes to show you that everyone has different opinions, maybe Trunks thinks your gi looks silly when you could fight in your nice pants that Mom made for you.... C'mon squirt, just get dressed!"  
  
Gohan dove and caught his little brother, who twisted around in his arms and accidentally elbowed Gohan in the nose before he escaped and ran out of the room. Gohan bit his tongue from the surprise impact and pain, and he swore loudly, touching his hand to his nose and recognizing the sudden scent of blood on his fingers. His nose was bleeding now, and his tongue as well since he'd bitten it. Gohan sighed in exasperation and ran out of the room after Goten, not willing to waste anymore time on something as futile as trying to convince the boy not to wear his gi. Goku never took his gi off, and lately Goten had been imitating the man vary closely.  
  
Thinking about the situation from that angle made Gohan ever more frustrated, and he rounded the door to the kitchen, in attempt to gain some speed and be quick enough to catch Goten before he hid under the table. Instead, Gohan ran head-on into Mirai Trunks chest, mashing blood into Trunks' black tank top, and losing his balance as he smashed to the floor in an ungraceful heap. Goten giggled and ran out of the room, disappearing again.  
  
Gohan just laid where he was for a minute, glaring after the image of his little brother. He looked up when Mirai Trunks crouched down beside him and balanced himself with a hand on Gohan's shoulder.  
  
"Are you ok, Gohan?" Trunks asked, noting the blood.  
  
"Oh I'm just great. Its Goten who's in trouble.... 'cause I'm gonna blast him!" Gohan said as he climbed to his feet. It was impossible to tell if he was serious, or joking around. He ducked past Trunks, leaving him standing there with a dumb look on his face.  
  
Gohan ran out of the kitchen and chased Goten around the living room table three consecutive times before Goten lost his footing and tripped on the leg of the table, crashing gracelessly onto his face on the floor.  
  
Goten's black eyes enlarged with realization and he tried in vain to scramble to his feet and escape, but Gohan was upon him in a flash, pinning him down and forcing the change of attire upon him with shameless strength and lightning quickness. He took Goten's gi and held it out of reach.  
  
"There! Goten you're misbehaving already, how am I supposed to trust you at the mall?"  
  
Goten grinned "you could bribe me...."  
  
"What!? GOTEN!!! Have you been taking lessons from Trunks and Vegeta!? NO I will NOT bribe you! Now come on, you should be much more polite, and co- operative. Or I'll tell mom to ground you from seeing Trunks, and she'll do it, too."  
  
Goten's eyes filled with fear and he stood up obediently, shaking his head and hopping for effect "No, no , NO! I gotta see Trunks, we've got PLANS!!!"  
  
Gohan folded his arms. "Well, maybe you should have thought of that before you tried to escape, squirt. Don't worry about it now, you've got to meet a different Trunks. You know the person you ran past in the kitchen? He's Mirai Trunks. He comes from the future timeline. When I was about your age, Trunks came to help fight Cell. Before that, he brought medicine for Dad so he wouldn't die of a heart virus that killed him in Mirai Trunks' time. You be respectful!"  
  
Goten blinked with innocence and nodded solemnly, a mischievous gleam coming into his eyes. Goten darted through Gohan's legs, into the kitchen. He pulled to a stop when he realized that the man standing in the doorway did indeed smell, look, and feel very much like his friend Trunks. He stared in silence, his mouth falling slightly open. With his extra sense, Goten poked at Mirai Trunks' energies and emotions, picking up nervousness and curiosity. This guy even felt and thought things in the same way as the real Trunks! Wow! Goten broke into a smile and bowed like his mother and Gohan had taught him to do when meeting someone new.  
  
"I'm Goten....uhh.... Wow you're lots like the real Trunks... doesn't it feel funny to be so big when you're supposed to be eleven and stuff? Are you strong? Can Gohan beat you up? Hey, he said I could go with you guys today, cool huh? Can we bring the real Trunks too? Please? We'll be good, me 'an Trunks never get in trouble!"  
  
Mirai Trunks blinked in an overwhelmed manner, staring at the boy whom he'd never before met, but was sure he knew somehow. His eyes squinted in great curiosity. It was obvious that Goten looked unmistakably identical to Goku, but it wasn't that. Trunks was a little too shocked to say anything, so he cast a helpless glance to Gohan, who grinned and put a hand on Goten's shoulder.  
  
"Not so many questions Goten.... You've got the whole day to talk to Trunks. Lets get going, we don't wanna miss out on the best breakfast!"  
  
Goten sighed internally at Gohan's utter innocence, but a frown crawled onto his face as he sensed his brother was purposely leading him to behave and comply. He crossed his arms. "Gohan can't the real Trunks come?"  
  
Gohan paused in what he was about to say and swept his eyes over Goten. "Squirt, the real Trunks is the same person as Mirai Trunks. They're both Trunks. And you know our Trunks hates shopping, Goten."  
  
Goten uncrossed his arms, shaking his head, a serious look coming into his young face, as he felt his information held great importance, and he only wanted to do the right thing. Of course sometimes his conscience and what his best friend told him to do got tangled up with one another, and Goten found that he tended to blurt out things that Trunks had specifically told him not to tell anyone. It was happening right now, as he was saying it, he realized that he wasn't supposed to.  
  
"Gohan, that isn't true! Every time that Trunks' Mom takes him shopping for stuff he has to tell me all about it, he likes it lots but he says nobody's supposed to know cause shopping is for girls and its not cool and his dad would make fun of him for it and that would suck. Uhm.... But we should make him come with us so he can have fun too!"  
  
Goten's eyes widened and he slapped both hands over his mouth, turning red and running quickly out of the room, that ultra-serious look on his face still.  
  
Gohan stared after his little brother with a confused look on his face, then he refocused on Mirai Trunks.  
  
"Eh.... Mom needed a bit of a break from Goten. Hope that's ok."  
  
Mirai Trunks nodded slowly, still letting his gaze trail after Goten, though the little half saiyajin was long gone. "I... feel like I know him from somewhere Gohan..." Trunks confessed, looking at the dark-eyed man quietly.  
  
"Well, Goten never existed in your time, so that isn't exactly possible. But I guess it probably means you'll get along well with him. That's good, you could watch him and the younger you to keep them out of trouble sometimes. Then I wouldn't have to do it by myself all the time. Videl helps me sometimes too.... Actually they listen better to her than to me, probably cause they can't beat up on her since they'd get in real trouble. Plus they like her better. Eh... what can I say, she'd probably make a great saiyajin in some other universe." Gohan smiled, his eyes faraway. Trunks nodded slowly, not saying anything. He turned around and got himself a glass of water from the kitchen tap. He tried to keep his thoughts positive, tried to maintain a friendly outlook towards the human woman who was provoking his most unfriendly qualities with little effort. He'd only met her one time, and he felt like he never wanted to see her again unless it was while Gohan was telling her they couldn't be friends anymore. He reprimanded himself for his unfriendly thoughts and proceeded to put his glass in the sink, turning around and heading after Gohan and Goten. The youngest half-saiyajin was flying towards West City, and Gohan jumped into the air after him.  
  
"Hey! I never said Trunks could come... you guys will get into a lot of trouble Goten!! Hey Trunks, come on!" Goten shouted back at the ground, where Mirai Trunks was blinking in bewilderment. Gohan was very different when he had a little brother to look after. Trunks hopped into the sky and followed the parade back to CC. He was beginning to think that coming all the way out here in the mountains had been a ridiculous idea to begin with, when he was just going to fly back home again before he even caught his breath.  
  
++++++++++++++  
  
Goten was standing outside of Trunks' doorway, knocking and calling loud and long for his friend to come out.  
  
"Truuuunks!" *knock knock knock* "Come out.... We gotta go shopping today and it'll be boring if you don't come with meeee!!"  
  
"Go away Goten, I don't wanna go to the stupid mall today! I've got important stuff to do!"  
  
Goten pouted and turned around, seeing Gohan and Mirai Trunks. "Well that problem's solved, stupid Trunks doesn't wanna come anyway. I don't wanna go either....can I stay here with Trunks? Please? Dad and Vegeta are here.... And Bulma too. Please can I stay?"  
  
Gohan nodded, shrugging. "I guess so, as long as you make sure not to get in trouble in Bulma's labs like last weekend.... You guys broke a lot of stuff with that game of blast and tackle. Whatever possessed you to do that...well you have better learned your lesson Goten."  
  
"Oh I have big brother... honest! You wanna go to the mall with Trunks anyway.... I know you didn't want me to go, so this works out better for both of us!"  
  
Gohan didn't have anything else to say. He left his brother in the hall, heading off to tell Bulma that Goten was going to spend the morning at CC. He would have informed Vegeta and Goku, but he wanted to avoid all possible contact with the Great Hero of the Earth until something forced them together. 


	28. Ch27

Scars – Chapter 27  
  
Goku led Vegeta out of Capsule Corps and away from the city. He really wanted a good spar today, and he expected they'd need some room. Vegeta didn't always agree to fight with him. Sometimes he'd be in a weird mood. He'd say things like 'get lost Kakarot, I've got better things to do than waste my time with you,' and Goku would train alone. But it was rare that Vegeta would refuse a flat out challenge. Goku had to agree with that one, he was the same way. Being headstrong is apparently a shared quality among saiyajins, no matter where they grow up.  
  
The area he selected was remote and dusty. The sunlight was harsh on the sand, and there weren't any cliffs or rock formations left standing. Only craters and strange marks in the sand to indicate blasts and impacts from past battles. The place seemed filled with the energies of both warriors. They were the only ones who'd ever fought in this place. Neither of them really thought about it, but they were both stirred by an inexplicable sense of violence when they gathered together here. It was natural. Vegeta understood it better than Goku, but Goku succumbed to it just as readily as the prince. The hair on the backs of both Vegeta's and Goku's necks stood and they raised their energies, backing apart from one another and sliding into battle stance.  
  
Goku's brows lowered with determination. Vegeta's face became a mask of concentration, and both warriors moved to attack one another at the same time, their fists contacting with a crack that rattled off the bare and sandy horizon, and sent pain spasming up both of their arms. They drew back, determinedly striking out at one another yet again, only to suffer the same consequences. Their fists smashed crushingly together as a gust of sand blew up to sting Goku's eyes.  
  
Vegeta's teeth were grit with concentration. It would be foolish for the same thing to happen a third time. It would be ridiculous if he bothered to pause and point this out to his opponent. When Goku rushed him next, the prince sidestepped and smashed Goku in the back of the head with a tense arm, initiating the rage he so loved to provoke in the idiot saiyajin. Kakarot was much more respectable when he was pissed off. Vegeta felt pain in his back as Goku counterattacked and lashed out at him. He twisted in time to catch the taller man's next attack and push it off course. Goku turned this defensive tactic into a bad move for the prince, as he pulled Vegeta with him off balance and flung the prince into the dirt. Vegeta rolled and sprang back to his feet, a smirk on his lips as he felt his chest rising and falling quickly. A sweat was breaking out on his face. He saw darkness in Goku's eyes and felt the desire to battle rising strongly in himself. This desire was mirrored severely by Goku's black expression.  
  
Goku lashed out at Vegeta again, driving into him with a knee, which nearly connected, but was quickly dodged.  
  
"You'll have to do better than that, Kakarot," Vegeta taunted, sweeping the younger saiyajin quickly off balance. Goku caught his balance with his ki, flying into the air and depositing himself on the ground on the other side of Vegeta. The prince turned in time to receive Goku's next attack expectantly. They played like this for an hour or so, until Vegeta was forced into Super by Goku's repeated volleys of ki blasts. He needed the Super Saiyajin speed in order to deflect all of the blasts. Goku also transformed, And it seemed, that for once, he would simply not let Vegeta even slightly ahead. Goku was in a downright awful mood by this point, and battling, which normally made him relax inside, and feel normal and level, was escalating his buried anger instead. Now our hero wasn't about to lose his control or anything silly like that, but he continued to outclass Vegeta with the repeated violence and fervent harshness with which he attacked, until, several hours later, found the pair twisting high in the sky, invisible to everything but the glaring sunlight. It beat down on their browned flesh, which was covered in scrapes and welts and grains of sand that clung to the sweat on their skin. Goku wasn't looking too worse for wear, but Vegeta was being hammered repeatedly on this sunny cloudless day. He was smashed to the ground by the angry Earth-raised saiyajin, who flew after him, intent on knocking him down when he got up again. Vegeta didn't get up. He only barely dodged Goku's knee (which rushed at him from the cover of the glaring sunlight), rolling out of the way and back to his feet. He fell down again, and the sound of blood bubbling in his lungs caused Goku to grind to a halt, frowning.  
  
"Why didn't you tell me I broke your ribs Vegeta? Jeeze Bulma's gonna be ticked at me...." Goku panted, squinting in the sunlight. He was decidedly unsatisfied, he still felt the wrathful vehemence in him demanding satisfaction, but he was, as always, in complete control of himself, and he powered down, putting a hand on his hip  
  
"I can go get you a senzu bean if Korin has any, and we can spar more. I'll be right back." Goku raised two fingers to his forehead, but Vegeta collapsed into the sand, blood bubbling form between his lips before Goku could do anything else. He sighed and went over to the prince, scooping him up, and IT-ing with him back to CC.  
  
He brought them to the gravity chamber, and deposited Vegeta on the floor, heading to the lockers and getting the first aid kit. His anger was crawling back inside of him easily enough, it generally did. Goku set everything out that he'd need to wrap Vegeta's ribs, and he scooped the unconscious man up, taking him into the locker area. He removed Vegeta's clothes, and his own, and took him into the shower, cleaning himself and then rinsing the blood and sand off his prince. He laid Vegeta on a bench and carefully wrapped his ribs, listening to the bubbling in his breaths. Just one lung, he would be fine. He wondered why Vegeta had passed out. He frowned, leaving him there and poking through the lockers for some clothing. He found a spare spandex thingy for the prince, and left it beside him. For himself, he managed to secure some gray sweatpants that he'd left in the chamber for whatever reason at some point, and forgotten about. Goku put the pants on, and sat on the bench by Vegeta's feet, his mind drifting to Gohan. He felt his tummy twist, and just remembering the feeling, he immediately thought about Goten's freak-out the night before. It worried him terribly that his little boy had to suffer something that Goku himself had no idea how to help him with. Frustrated, Goku left Vegeta unconscious on the bench, and went into the Chamber, turning up the gravity and beginning some further training, as he simply hadn't had enough just yet.  
  
+++++++++++++++  
  
Goten watched Mirai Trunks and his big brother walk away down the hall. He thought that the Big Trunks was strangely identical to the real Trunks, but at the same time, a lot... sweeter, and softer. It was probably a very good thing for his big brother that this other Trunks was here, and that they could be friends. He smiled, and when they disappeared, he turned the knob on Trunks' door, and was surprised to find it locked. "Hey, lemme in Trunks.... I stayed here so I wouldn't have to go to the mall! I know you like going, but if you don't wanna go, then neither do I! Open the door Trunks. Please?"  
  
"Go away stupid, I don't wanna play with a dumb baby like you!" Trunks shouted at Goten from the other side of the locked door. Goten felt that Trunks was feeling curious and investigative, but that he was also deeply disturbed. He could feel that Trunks did want him to come in, but that he was really confused. Goten sighed, rolling his eyes. His best friend, despite being super smart, was really a dummy sometimes.  
  
"I wanna play a game or something Trunks, I'm bored! Please can I come in if I promise to be real, real quiet and stuff? Like a mousie, you won't even know I'm there!"  
  
There were some muffled noises, and the sound of Trunks cursing as he always did even though nobody else was allowed to curse so much no matter how old they were, and the door opened, and Trunks grabbed Goten's arm, yanking him inside and slamming the door shut. Trunks had the thick drapes over his windows pulled completely shut, and the lights were off, and his computer screen showed the encrypted screensaver, which Trunks used to keep Goten from poking around on it, even though Goten had never once tried to do so in the history of their friendship. Trunks was often paranoid about silly things like that. Just like he was always worried he might get sick, even though he never had. Goten was glad Trunks trusted him, because Trunks rarely gave his trust to anybody else.  
  
Trunks gave Goten an irritated look "Chibi, I'm working on some important stuff. I don't want you to bother me, I don't even want you to be quiet and watch. I want you to leave me alone today."  
  
Goten's face grew into a pout against his will and he sighed. "But Trunks.... there's nobody else to play with. What're you working on? I can be your assistant."  
  
"No, you can't. It's a one-man job. Top-secret research. I'm compiling a database of information that is top-secret. You shouldda asked me first before you decided to stay. Go away, I don't want to play today."  
  
Goten could feel all those scared thoughts and feelings stirring through his friend. He sighed, wishing Trunks wouldn't be so difficult. He would just have to be the same. He climbed onto Trunks' bed. "You won't even know I'm here."  
  
"I already know you're here stupidhead, please Goten, just go away!" Trunks voice rose shrilly and in his frustration he climbed up on the bed and beside Goten, and kicked him off of it mercilessly. Goten hit the floor in surprise.  
  
"OW! Trunks that hurt!"  
  
"Yeah, not as much as it will if you don't leave!"  
  
"Fine! I'm going... and I'm gonna tell your dad how much you like shopping and mint green and that you sleep with a big stupid stuffed animal like all the other babies! Meanie!" Goten stomped out of the room and slammed the door behind him. He didn't get very far, though, because Trunks opened it and ran after him, grabbing him around the middle and putting a hand over his mouth as he dragged him back into the darkened recesses of his bedroom. Trunks held Goten tight for a minute, and Goten could feel that he was scared and confused and upset, that he didn't want to let go. Goten twisted around in Trunks' grasp and gave him a nice warm hug, talking into his ear.  
  
"I won't tell, I wasn't gonna tell... but you can't be mean to me like that. What's so scary Trunks...?"  
  
"Goten..... I don't like it when you do that..... my feelings are mine, and you don't have any business doing.... doing.....whatever you do when you know them without me telling you. Just, shut up, ok? Don't say anything."  
  
Trunks hid his face against Goten and struggled to understand why Goten always seemed to win their tiffs. He sighed and inhaled Goten's nice familiar smell, like cookies and shampoo. He started talking, even though he didn't really want to tell Goten this stuff, he did.  
  
"I had a funny dream, and when I woke up this morning, uhm....don't tell anyone this... when I woke up there was white stuff on the sheets, and Little Trunks was standing up! And Mirai Trunks, he was there, cause I stayed in his room last night, and he told me that its supposed to happen. And... and he left and told me to figure it out. How to make Little Trunks go down. So.... I did. And there was this thing that happened.... I was in the shower, just me and Little Trunks, and I was thinking about my laptop, and it happened.... like... like a feeling as strong as if dad punched me, only it was a nice feeling, it made me want to...to....wiggle. and more white stuff came out of Little Trunks, not like pee, but from the same place as pee would come out, you know? And then Little Trunks was soft again, and all over I felt really nice and warm and sleepy. I fell asleep in the shower for a bit. And when I woke up I cleaned off and washed my hair and I didn't tell Mirai Trunks about it. I didn't tell anybody but you. This is a really big super top secret thing Goten, I'll send you to the next dimension in the most painful way I can think up if you ever tell anyone, got it?"  
  
Goten nodded against Trunks. This had happened to him before, more than once, and held had the shivery punch feeling before too. He never really thought too much about it, but then again, Trunks was never even half as relaxed as Goten was. Goten put his arms around Trunks and hugged him "Don't worry, it happened to me before too."  
  
Trunks pulled back, giving Goten an insulted look. "What??"  
  
"It happened to me before, too."  
  
"Why didn't you tell me Goten!?"  
  
"'Cause, I didn't think it had anything to do with you Trunks."  
  
"You shouldda told me! How long ago did it happen?"  
  
"You mean the first time?"  
  
"It can happen more than once??"  
  
"Yeah, I do it like every day."  
  
"Oh..." Trunks was not looking very impressed.  
  
Goten sensed his friend's feeling of being oppressed, and he smiled. "The first time was a bit after I turned ten. I'm almost eleven now, my birthday's in a month and six days, don't forget!"  
  
"Don't change the subject. This hasn't happened before, where you knew about something that I didn't know as much about. I read all about it in my computer and in the medical books, but I guess I missed some parts, I didn't know it cold happen more than once. Uhm.... look, this is really weird, lets just not talk about this anymore today. I wanna think about it by myself"  
  
"Kay, do you think we can play a game, or spar, or do something cool? What're we gonna do today Trunks?"  
  
Trunks was glad that the subject had been breached, and intensely relieved that the conversation was over with for now, He led Goten into his plot for spying on various targets throughout the day, a favourite pastime of Goten and Trunks'. He forgot about Little Trunks completely, and the pair enjoyed the rest of the morning, sneaking around and talking over mini-com units that Trunks had made out of walkie-talkies. 


	29. Ch28

Scars – Chapter 28  
  
Gohan was a touch nervous about taking Trunks to the mall, as he was not usually very savvy on the latest fashions. Gohan tended not to have a clue that his clothes were decidedly un-cool, and his hairstyle had barely changed since he was about twelve or so. However, The lavender-haired half- saiyajin walking at his side (maybe a touch behind him) knew even less about this sort of thing, and he was intensely overwhelmed by the din of the mall. The large building made a sounding board for every little noise, every breath and voice and beep of the numerous cash registers, so that by the time Trunks and Gohan were ten meters into the mall, both of them were quite overwhelmed and wanted to leave. Gohan sighed, turning and looking Trunks over.  
  
"Well, where do you want to go first,?"  
  
"Home?" Trunks said in a questioning voice, looking back at the doors, which showed rectangles of faraway sunlight, and made the huge open space of the mall seem like a tiny, suffocating prison to the scarred man. He rubbed the back of his arm and presed closer to Gohan, who inched away a bit, out of discomfort.  
  
"Trunks, come on now, it isn't that bad. If we just ignore them all, and pretend we're the only one's here, then we'll have free reign over the whole place. Come on, Videl showed me some stores one time where a lot of people our age tend to shop, though she hates shopping. Vidi's like that, she'll do things for other people, even if she doesn't enjoy them personally."  
  
Gohan took Trunks into one of the stores Videl had told him was supposed to be a cool place for guys to shop. It was darker, and quieter inside, though there was annoying music playing all over the place. The music was quiet enough to be a background, and Trunks sighed in relief when they entered, pausing in the doorway of the store to let himself relax marginally.  
  
Gohan gave Trunks a searching look. He knew that Trunks had been through a lot, but this was a bit ridiculous. Did everything have to be so over dramatic and emotional with him? It made him think of his mother. But then, thinking like that, put Gohan in the mindset that he represented Goku in this situation, and he frowned, telling himself to care more, or risk being the coldhearted jackass he'd truly discovered the previous night. Gohan delved into the store, poking through the racks of clothing, not really very interested in clothes at all. His eyes wandered around the place, and he broke off from Trunks, who was moving more slowly, appearing overwhelmed by the tiniest things, like socks and belts and jewelry.  
  
Trunks watched Gohan disappear, and he stayed by one of the racks that had colours he liked, poking through the different items. He found some T- shirts, and gathered a few of them up, twisting to see the size of his own shirt, to make sure he chose the correct size off the racks. Large appeared to be the best choice, so he went with it, and chose things that he'd seen some of the humans around wearing. The sign on the rack said these were 'polo' shirts. He shrugged, liking the soft, durable weave of the fabric. He picked a white one, and put it back, in favour of darker colours – gray, black, green – he didn't like to draw attention to himself.  
  
As Trunks was browsing, Gohan came up behind him with some bottoms. He said they were 'khakis' and that a lot of people wore them. Trunks nodded, accepting the light coloured pants, and thinking to himself that they would show bloodstains and dirt easily, and would need to be washed constantly if he chose to buy them. Trunks wasn't really thinking that he'd get to have a lot of clothes, he was used to having one set to wear, and one set to change into when those were destroyed. When he ran out, he'd fly around and look for more in people's deserted homes, or he'd make more with his mother, who was dead....  
  
"Thanks Gohan, I'll try them on." Trunks said softly, and accepted the baggy pants, throwing them over his arm as he proceeded to another rack.  
  
Trunks ended up buying a snug-fitting polo shirt that was gray with lighter gray trimming on the collar and sleeves. It fit around his arms rather tightly, and stretched a bit over his pectorals, but the saleslady wouldn't le him leave without it, and so he offered her a large bill and left the store with the shirt on his back, because his other clothes smelled like BO anyhow. For pants, Trunks had firmly decided against the light-coloured khakis, he simply found them impractical. He chose, instead – against Gohan's advice – dark gray khakis. He also picked out a leather belt to help his pants stay up around his slim male hips, and some socks to go with the Birkenstocks he'd picked out.  
  
When Trunks walked out of the store, he wasn't very certain that he looked any better than he had when he'd entered it. He thought people must be looking at him funny, and he wanted to go home, but Gohan insisted that he get something else, and offered to carry his bag of older clothes for him, though being half-saiyajins, neither of them had any trouble with such little things.  
  
As they milled around through the mall, getting more and more accustomed to the awful echo of voices and beeping and money jingling in pockets, Trunks wandered without warning into a barber shop. Catching sight of himself in the mirror outside of the business, he realized that this hair was in fact unkempt, and didn't resemble much of anything he saw other humans around his age wearing. Trunks looked warily around the shop, smelling hair products and seeing various blades and combs and razors. It all looked quite foreign to him, and he stepped backwards as if to escape, bumping into Gohan's solid chest and startling. He whirled around in readiness to attack, and Gohan caught his punch, making nothing out of what could have been a scene. Gohan smiled slightly, lowering his hand with Trunks' fist still in it, and he gently turned Trunks around with a pair of hands on his shoulders, to face the short, amiable looking little Italian man who worked the shop. The man had very curly gray hair, and squinty black eyes. He bowed slightly and smiled, revealing that he had one silver tooth in the front, amongst the normal teeth. Trunks swallowed nervously and stepped forwards, accepting the man's offer of a handshake.  
  
"I...uhm.... I think I need a haircut," Trunks tried, running his fingers back through his hair nervously.  
  
The man nodded "Of course! As you can see, I don't have any customers right now, so you can take that seat right there. Your handsome friend can wait on the bench." The barber gestured to a long, low bench across the inside of the outside wall of the shop, and Gohan obediently took a seat and picked up a magazine. He poked through it, thinking maybe he'd like to get a haircut, though in all honesty, he wouldn't do it unless Videl told him it needed to be done.  
  
Trunks sat in the chair, not liking the defenseless position it put him in, leaning him back as it did. The kindly old barber came and wrapped him in a cape thing, so his hair wouldn't get on his clothes or skin. The barber began to spritz his hair with water, and comb it, then he turned the chair around and put his hands on his chubby hips, blinking inquisitively through his squinty eyes.  
  
"What would you like me to do?" He asked, waiting with a comb in one hand, and scissors in the other.  
  
Trunks swallowed, shrugging "I don't; know.... I guess something kinda.....normal? Like.... Nothing ridiculous... maybe just short in the back and around my ears, and a bit longer on the top?"  
  
The barber nodded and set to work. Really, he didn't do too much, but he buzzed the back a bit, and fixed up Trunks' uneven sideburns, and in only eight minutes, he stepped back triumphantly. "There you go, another masterpiece for Tony Montoya! That'll be eight dollars, please."  
  
Trunks fished a ten from his pocket after the barber cleaned his neck up and brushed the little clinging purple hairs from around his ears onto the floor. He unwrapped the cape thing, and and stepped back, accepting the ten. Trunks told him to keep the change, and thanked him. He looked to Gohan for his opinion.  
  
"Hey, that looks a lot better Trunks, he did a good job. Come on, you should get some other things, and maybe some stuff for your room, too."  
  
++++++++++++++  
  
A few hours later, after a large, very satisfying lunch and lots of trekking around the noisy confines of the mall, it became apparent to Gohan that Trunks just didn't want to be there anymore. He was becoming irritable, and hiding it very well, all things considered. A few more times he'd nearly lashed out at people for bumping into him, and when a gaggle of young girls had begun to follow him around studiously, he turned on them and told them to stop, that he didn't want to be followed by anyone. They all stared at him like confused animals, and scattered quickly, leaving Trunks frowning angrily after them.  
  
Gohan, on the other hand, found that unlike going through the mall with Videl, he felt calm and sort of... protective, moving through it with Trunks. He was still wary of Trunks, confused about Trunks' admonition of his homosexuality, but all in all, Gohan was studying the young man closely, and wanted to see a happier expression on his face.  
  
Gohan hesitantly put a hand on Trunks' shoulder. "You're a little edgy Trunks, would you like to go? We've got loads of stuff, you'll do fine on these things for awhile."  
  
Trunks seemed startled out of his thoughts, which he was. He was watching the humans here intently, and had discovered that they were all very calm and relaxed and incredibly loud. Nobody worried or glanced behind him/herself for danger. These people appeared well fed and groomed, they were not suffering. Still Trunks found them to be the same oppressive group that he'd found the humans in his time to be. He was ashamed of himself for sticking close beside Gohan, and worse, if Gohan wandered off, (which he was most definitely wont to do) Trunks found himself quickly following, feeling almost panicked when he was caught out of his friend's sight. He felt a weakness within himself that was specifically related to Gohan's sudden presence in his life, and when the hand descended and gripped his shoulder reassuringly, Trunks took a deep gasp of air and flashed back to Master Gohan gripping his shoulder, leaning down to speak into his ear, to tell him to stay behind, that if they both got killed, there wouldn't be any hope for the earth. Trunks hadn't heard from Gohan again, except the noise his lungs made as they were ruptured by Eighteen's blast along with his heart.  
  
Tears seeped along the lower lids of Trunks eyes and he pulled out of Gohan's grip, rubbing his shoulder as if it hurt. He bit his lip helplessly, his glassy eyes hesitantly turning to gaze on Gohan's face. The somewhat taller saiyajin looked down at him evenly, and finally with sympathy.  
  
"Its in the past, I'm not him, he's dead, Trunks. Come on, lets get some air." Gohan put his hand gently between Trunks' shoulder blades, his fingers spread as he gave Trunks a gentle push in the direction of the exit. The lavender-haired man shifted his bags in his hands and made his way there ahead of Gohan, who came out of the doors and joined him in making sure the sky was still there when it came into view. He led Trunks around the side of the building, behind a garbage dumpster. He turned Trunks to face him, and put one hand on each shoulder. The smell from the dumpster made Trunks think of the grocery store a few days after the power to West City had been cut the first time. He looked into Gohan's face and saw the glow on his skin from the sun, which beat down on his cheeks and made his eyes glitter from within the shadows of the rest of his face.  
  
Trunks felt his breaths catching in his chest, he felt his stomach twisting into tight knots, and he wanted to hug himself. Gohan folded Trunks against him, guiding his face to rest against his shoulder, and stroking his hair a the base of his neck. Trunks tucked his face against Gohan's strong hardness, closing his eyes and feeling wetness making cold trails down his cheeks, which were hit from the bright sun that broke over the side of the dumpster. Trunks squeezed his eyes shut and put his arms around Gohan's waist, crying against Gohan's shoulder, while the other half-saiyajin quietly, and awkwardly stayed where he was, trying to be comforting.  
  
Gohan understood and recognized that Trunks needed a chance to grieve, and he had wanted to provide that, but now he was trapped with the man clinging to him almost desperately. He felt a shiver quiver up along his back from the base of his spine when Trunks tightened his arms around Gohan's middle. Gohan inhaled more sharply than normal in a small gasp, his arms coming up automatically to push Trunks off, but instead he let them rest where they gripped Trunks' upper arms, and finally Gohan laid his head against Trunks' and whispered to him that it was alright.  
  
Trunks cried for a few minutes, and when Gohan's voice touched his ears sweetly as it did, he began to calm, connecting, for the first time, this new Gohan with good thoughts and ideas, instead of the repeated mantra of Master Gohan being dead which normally ran about his thoughts. Trunks nodded against Gohan. He wiped his face on Gohan's shoulder and felt the hand in his hair again, which made him think of how his mother used to play with his hair when he was upset.  
  
"Th-thanks, sorry." Trunks said in a soft, hesitant voice, and Gohan nodded.  
  
"S'ok Trunks, you kinda saw me at my worst last night anyhow. I uhm.... Well I wanted to ask you.... My mom thinks that I should live by myself in the city somewhere, you know, and learn to take care of myself. And.... I know you just got here, and that you're kind of staying close to CC a the moment. But maybe once you're more settled in, if you want, you could share an apartment with me, you know? I mean it'd be like... like support. We're both half saiyajin. If I lived with a regular human, they'd find me out in no time if I wasn't careful. That means I wouldn't even be comfortable in my own home. Its not like you have to or anything, I'm just offering, cause... eh.... I'm a little creeped out by moving out too.  
  
Trunks bit his lip again, it was a terrible habit of his. "I don't know about that..... thank you for the offer Gohan, but I would have to think about it. Not right now..... but maybe in a few months or something.... Just not now. "  
  
Gohan had thought that Trunks would say yes, he'd been counting on it. He nodded in understanding and smiled brightly, unknowingly doing exactly as Goku did, and smiling because he was kind of hurt. "Alright, well maybe in a few months then. You know, this garbage kinda smells, lets go back to CC and get your room in order, alright?"  
  
Trunks nodded in agreement, wrinkling his nose at the dumpster. He raised his hand and gently removed Gohan's touch from his arms, turning so that he wasn't standing up against Gohan anymore. Trunks gathered his bags together, (half of them, anyhow, since Gohan carried the other half) and sensed for nearby human ki. He felt nothing, and presumed it safe to fly, jumping up into the air and speeding into the clouds. He felt Gohan's energy not far behind his own. 


	30. Ch29

Scars – Chapter 29  
  
Vegeta woke to the sound of heavy breathing, but it was not his own. He grunted softly, feeling a tight pinch in his lung when he inhaled, and he realized that his ribs were broken and firmly wrapped. He also noted that he was clean and dry, dressed in his normal spandex, good as new. He sat up gingerly, and directed his gaze to where he could hear Goku gasping for breath as he furiously beat the air with his fists. He was Super Saiyajin, his chest heaving as he fought an invisible enemy with perfect speed, grace, and form.  
  
Glancing over the doorway to the training chamber, Vegeta saw that the gravity was set at 850 times Earth's normal gravity, and that it had been running this way for three hours. Vegeta raised a brow. It was unusual for Kakarot to train in the gravity chamber. In fact, this hadn't happened before. Vegeta had been knocked out before a few times by Goku, and each time the idiot would patch him up and leave him fresh and somewhere safe. But Goku always left afterwards, he'd never hung around. Vegeta supposed that Goku was upset. He'd seen the younger saiyajin try this sort of thing before....try to befriend the prince of saiyajins with softness and stupid kindness in order to keep himself from being alone. Vegeta wrinkled his nose and stood up, his hand wrapping around his ribs. He moved to the doorway and stayed on the normal gravity side, hitting the deactivation button. Kakarot looked over to him in surprise.  
  
"Hey, what was that for...? I was in the middle of blowing off some steam Vegeta." Goku said nothing about Vegeta's wounds, he never did. The prince leaned in the doorframe with his arms crossed. "Kakarot, get the hell out of my gravity chamber and find someone else to keep you company. I don't care if your brat doesn't like you. Neither do I!"  
  
Goku sighed, his teal eyes charged with aggression. A vein throbbed on Goku's temple, but he forced himself to power down to normal and keep control over himself. It was part of the way he maintained his own pride in himself. Never lose control over an awful saiyajin temper. It was just a bit more difficult now. Goku threw up his arms, his voice not very like his normal cheery self.  
  
"Vegeta just... stop bothering me." He said shortly, pitting a hand on his hip and making a fist of the other.  
  
"Stop bothering you? You're the one who's still here. This is ridiculous, Kakarot. Just go confront your brat and beat some sense into him since you're so angry. Teach him not to disrespect you. If he has a problem, the tell him how it is and don't give him room to argue with you. That is what I would do. If that isn't your style, then figure out something else. But get a hold over your temper, Kakarot. You're embarrassing yourself."  
  
Vegeta turned to walk out of the Gravity Chamber, and Goku stared after him with a stunned expression on his sweat slicked face. He folded his arms and glared at the prince's back, his mind churning over Gohan's words, and applying Vegeta's method in a hypothetical manner. (never knew Goku could think that straight...) He shook his head, dismissing that kind of treatment of his family as most definitely not his style. He raised two fingers to his forehead and disappeared from the Gravity Chamber altogether.  
  
+++++++++++++  
  
Trunks and Gohan returned to CC shortly after taking off from the mall. Trunks ran his fingers through his short hair and seemed to relax when he entered the large dome-shaped house. He removed his boots at the door and Gohan did the same thing, shifting the bags of clothing on his arms as he did. His eyes wandered over the seemingly calm entranceway to the home. Trunks quickly led him up the stairs that branched off the 'parlor' and curled along the inside of the dome, door and some other halls extending further into the building. It was completely bizarre, but Gohan had seen it many times before. He followed Trunks up the stairs and along the hall, branching off down another hall, which curled along the outside of the building, and was set on one side with the large windows that made up the outside of the dome. Trunks opened the door as Gohan slowed to a halt, looking out of the windows through the thin sheer curtains that hung from ceiling to floor. He felt for Videl's energy, and found it to be perfectly safe. Relieved, he turned his focus to the touch of fingers on his arm. He looked up and saw Trunks tugging him towards his room, to put down his bags of purchases so he could find places for everything. Gohan grinned and twisted out of Trunks' grip with a bit of a nervous blush, scratching the back of his head and walking past Trunks into the bedroom. The scarred man came in behind Gohan and close the door over thoughtlessly as he strode towards the bed to start putting things away.  
  
Gohan sat on the bed, taking things out of the bags ad picking the tags off of the various clothes so Trunks could fold them ad put them into the dresser, as he seemed intent on doing. Gohan had never imagined that Trunks was so...boring. He frowned, not really liking the sound of that in his mind. But it seemed kind of obvious that Trunks wasn't willing to do much, talk much, or even smile most of the time. Gohan wasn't used to a person with a ki that seemed to...close tightly around his body and hide there, instead of spreading to touch and sense the world around him. Gohan didn't say anything at all, not knowing where to begin. He imagined himself saying something to hurt Trunks more than he obviously already had been. He frowned and looked at the items on the bed, his eyes darkening.  
  
Trunks gathered up the four T-shirts he'd bought, all different colours – Gohan had suggested he try them all to see which ones ended up suiting him best – and methodically folded them and put them into the middle drawer of his dresser. Gohan didn't make a sound behind him. The silence was thick. It clung to Trunks so that he rubbed his arms after closing the dresser, frowning at the scars that laced his flesh as a constant reminder of the suffering in his time. He came to the bed and sat beside Goten. He didn't understand why intensity had to creep into every situation he faced that was focussed on this man. This strange man who was the same as his teacher, and also a completely different man. And he did appear to be a man, he gave off the energy of one who thinks about himself as a part in the machine of his life, He seemed wrapped tightly in silence. Trunks stared at him, these thoughts circling his mind. Why did it have to be so intense when it was Gohan!? Trunks couldn't relax. He had started to at the mall, before they left, when Gohan had not seemed like his master. Father figure, teacher, friend... that is what Trunks expected from Gohan. This man sitting on the bed... life had only just come up to snap at his heels. He was just beginning to realize what it was like to care entirely for oneself... to share that ability to care with those close to oneself, in order to do the greatest amount of good, and keep up the spirit of living. Very important that nobody thinks about ending it all. Positive attitude is integral.  
  
"Trunks, are you listening?" Gohan said, waving a hand in Trunks' face. The short-haired boy started and looked at him with a wide stare, his eyes hardening and clearing as he realized where he was. He picked up a pair of pants and started to fold them, looking out the window at the afternoon sunlight.  
  
"I was saying, I'm gonna get going.... I think my mom wanted me to come home and tell her how the eye exam went. I'll want to start looking for apartments, too."  
  
Trunks blinked at the next pair of pants he picked up to fold, his voice soft. His eyes drifted towards the window again. "Its going to rain."  
  
"Its sunny out."  
  
"Go home Gohan, Thank you for coming with me to the mall."  
  
Gohan got up and inclined his head in a slight bow, backing out of the room with a confused smile. A shiver ran up his spine as he headed back down the glass hallway and out the back door of CC. He saw Vegeta coming out of the gravity room, closing the door behind him. Gohan smiled brightly.  
  
"Hey Vegeta, have you seen Goten around? He's hiding his ki, and Trunks too. I should see if he's ready to come home yet. Have they tried any pranks around here yet today?"  
  
"Are you implying that those stupid children are wasting their days trying to make trouble!? They should be training... when you find them, send Trunks to me immediately, and take your father's spawn away from here quickly. Buzz off, brat."  
  
Gohan watched the clearly pissy Vegeta walk off as he pushed past him and stomped into the house. There was a flash of lavender accompanied by a flash of orange which darted quickly in the corner of Gohan's eye, but when he turned his head, there was nobody there. Gohan frowned. "Goten, Trunks, I know you can hear me, and I am not in a really great mood. You guys come out, Goten its time for us to go home. And Trunks, your dad wants to see you."  
  
Silence answered Gohan's words. There were many places for two boys to hide on the CC back lawn. Gohan listened carefully, knowing the two well enough to know that they were their own biggest giveaway. He soon heard whispered bickering, and Goten was pushed out of a nearby tree. He hit the ground with an 'oof' and looked up into the tree. "Ttrruunks! You're being such a meanie today! That hurt! And now I'm caught! We didn't finish our missionnn....Truunkkks!"  
  
Gohan rolled his eyes and crossed his arms, waiting for them to resolve their tiff. Trunks' head popped out of the leaves a little higher up from where Goten had been hiding.  
  
"Goten I don't feel like putting up with your whiny babyness today, just....go back to your house. I don't want to play, I want some time by myself. I'll call you in a week. Just....leave me alone for awhile."  
  
Goten butt his lip, feeling his chest hurting a lot, but this was his own hurt, not Trunks'. Trunks wasn't feeling hurt, he was glaring at Goten like he'd done something wrong, like he was punishing him for being annoying or something. Goten bit his lower lip, tears threatening. He swallowed them before they showed as more than a glaze in his eyes, and nodded.  
  
"Ok Trunks, I understand."  
  
Trunks' lip curled slightly and he jumped down from the tree, landing beside Goten lithely. "Chibi, only babies cry. Relax... I just need some time by myself, cause...of what we talked about."  
  
Goten's eyes were big and dark, absorbing Trunks' words as he slowed his breathing and nodded slowly. "Well, Trunks... ok..." Goten got up and dusted himself off and wanted to give Trunks a hug, but he didn't because Gohan was standing right there and Trunks would yell at him. He smiled at his best friend and turned on his heel, walking towards his big brother, who was waiting for him, his arms at his sides. Gohan wrapped his hand around his little brother's hand and looked up at Trunks. "Hey Trunks, your dad wants you to go see him, I think he wants to do some training with you in the gravity room or something. Bye!" Trunks watched them jump into the sky and fly away.  
  
He watched them go, and turned himself to walk into the house and find something else to do. 


	31. Ch30

Scars - Chapter 30

Mirai Trunks was folding clothes in his room. He had pulled out the CD player he'd picked up that day, and was fiddling with some discs – trying to decide on one to listen to – when his younger self pushed the door open without knocking. He closed it behind him and entered into the room, looking around before letting his eyes settle on his future self's own blue gaze. Trunks couldn't explain why he felt so drawn to his elder self, he knew only that he felt more relaxed in the short-haired man's presence than he did with anyone else, even Goten. That creeped Trunks out a bit, he didn't like the thought of Goten not being the person closest to him in the whole world. However, like he'd mentioned to his lifelong friend only minutes before, he wanted to be apart from Goten for awhile. In fact, he wanted to be apart from pretty much everyone. Only, this person before him didn't seem like company. He was most definitely not company. They were one and the same, despite being as different as night and day.

Trunks crawled onto the bed and picked up some of the stuff Trunks had purchased, inspecting it critically. "Jeeze... you're not gonna... like... try to hide it from anyone that you're completely flaming, are you. You could at least do it for my sake! If mom starts to suspect something dumb like that from me then she'll be pissed, and if she's really mad then her and dad won't... you know... and then dad'll be way harder on me in training cause he always is when mom gets like that. And on top of that Gohan's been messing with Goku lately, and when Goku doesn't pay as much attention to dad he always gets in a really bad mood, though come to think of it, being around Goku also puts him in a bad mood."

Mirai Trunks put a CD in and let it play quietly, coming to sit on the bed beside his younger self. "You don't have to worry about dad and mom. They're fine."

"Trunks I hate it a lot if you treat me like a dumb kid! Mom and Dad are both dead in your time. In this time I know dad way better than you do. And he's not like he says he is, you know. If he was like he acted I wouldn't get so pissed when some moron dares to insult him. Now, don't tell anyone this, ever, got it? But dad's actually pretty... uhm... not sensitive really... but he is easily affected by the people and events around him. He's one of those people who feels depressed on rainy days, you know what I mean? If he wasn't so affected by little things, he wouldn't bother with the big attitude all the time."

Mirai Trunks blinked in surprise, staring at his younger double unblinkingly. "Trunks, how do you know these things about father.... I don't think he'd appreciate you thinking about him like this... shouldn't we.... Accept him quietly?"

"What? Of course not... Dad hates boring things. You hafta really... get in there and make him notice you... I think he spends too much time contemplating things by himself. He only really notices everything around him if you do something worth noticing. Its not to say he doesn't see it... but he doesn't act on things, doesn't bother with little gestures and things. I think he's trapped in a sort of catatonia sometimes. Stunned silence, if you will. He sees so much, but he's not totally sure what to say or do, so he sticks with what he's familiar and comfortable with." Mirai Trunks nodded. "I think I understand... but Trunks, you're being a little... uhm...well... puerile. You need to remember that dad has lots of history we both don't really know about. I think its unfair to make assumptions like you're doing. And disrespectful."

Trunks snorted, shrugging. "How did we start talking about this, anyway? I don't care what you think, I know I'm right, so just... shut up."

Future Trunks smiled and nodded, going back to putting things away. He finished by sliding the two pairs of shoes he'd bought under the bed. He stood up, blinking at his double. "Did you want something else, Trunks?" He asked, putting a hand on his hip.

"Yeah. I want you to teach me to be strong like you are. Train with me."

Trunks looked a little surprised to hear this bold request from his younger self. "Hasn't dad already trained you to fight...?"

"Yeah, I'm not a beginner, but you know a lot, and sometimes getting a second view is an advantage. You're me, you know how I think, I bet I can easily learn things from you. And besides, Dad doesn't know absolutely everything, even if he does beat me every time."

"Jeeze... I don't think I thought his much when I was your age... sure I'll train with you, Chibi. I'd like that."

"Hey! Shut up with that... that isn't my name, and I don't want you calling me it! Its Trunks, that's the only thing you're allowed to call me -ever- got it? Good, lets go practice in the gravity chamber."

Mirai Trunks nodded with a fond smile for his younger self, getting to his feet and following his shorter counterpart from the bedroom.

Goku re-appeared in the kitchen of his home, which, of course, was nestled deep amongst the peaks of the mountains in the 439 Mountain Range, surrounded on all sides by open sky, and dotted with green trees reaching their leaves and branches for the warm summer sunlight as the long grass immediately around the house swayed beneath the wind's soft fingertips.

ChiChi started when Goku put his arms around her waist and leaned into her, kissing her throat aggressively and without warning. She frowned and twisted to push him off of her, but he silenced any potential words with a firm press of his lips over hers. She opened her eyes wide and looked at him, his face very close to hers as his tongue parted her lips and explored her moist mouth meticulously. By the time he let her go, her cheeks were pink with a blush that touched all the rest of her body, and she pulled free of him, turning to stir the large pot of vegetable and beef soup on the stove. She set her spoon down and bit her lip, looking her husband over carefully.

"Goku, it looks like you've been training thoughtlessly all morning again, hmm? Lunch is just about ready, have a seat at the table and I'll serve you some soup and pork buns"

Goku frowned, shaking his head and pinning ChiChi against the kitchen counter. She felt his hand slide up along her torso to cup her breast firmly, as he put a knee between her legs to part them, pressing himself against her. Goku wasn't usually like this, he tended to be very gentle and careful about anything sexual, and was virginal in his approach almost always, being sweet and mindful of ChiChi's weaknesses because she was human. Now, ChiChi wasn't just some watery, helpless human woman, but compared to her saiyajin husband, she was made of sticks and tape, and he liquid steel. ChiChi was never afraid of Goku, and now was no exception.

"Goku! Act like a man for goodness sakes, you aren't 22 anymore!"

The large and firmly muscled saiyajin grunted and silenced ChiChi from saying anything else with another kiss. The hand that wasn't on her breast parted the folds of her kimono and pulled off her underwear with ease. Chichi managed to pull away long enough to yell "Goku I'm sick of you ripping my-" before her husband pushed his tongue into her mouth, and his cock into her sex.

Chichi moaned Goku's name, twisting the word with anger. He thrust into her and held her hand on the kitchen counter, forcing her to arch backwards.

"Go-ah!....ku-unmmm....the....sou-oop...ah...ah ah...hah...hah...hmmm....mmm honey that feels great...."

She felt Goku slow down as he wrapped his arms around her, letting her hands free to wrap around his torso. She felt his teeth close on her neck as he pushed deeply into her body and made her quiver with warmth. She felt his ki wrapping around her, felt his mind touching her own mind. His thoughts were frustrated and cynical. This wasn't usually the case, he tended not to much worry about anything at all. But this also wasn't completely new to her. It just happened sometimes. The cheerful man became quiet and introverted and aggressive, and though he shared some of his thoughts with her when he was...er...raping her(though she didn't really mind it she supposed)... he would leave soon after and not return for awhile. ChiChi didn't want him to go. She whispered this into his mind and felt his hands on her hips as he gripped her and forced her harder onto his cock. ChiChi cringed and felt herself come. Goku opened his eyes and looked at her, nibbling her breast and bringing it into his mouth. His eyes were teal. ChiChi panted Goku's name as his mouth sought hers out. He whispered into her mind, his ki high around her and making her limbs tingle with heat. He made her womb tingle too, and the feeling reverberated through her whole body so that she felt her orgasm lengthening and continuing as he pumped her harder, his decidedly animal glare fixed hungrily upon her face.

ChiChi felt Goku grip her hips harder as his body tensed and the counter jabbed into her back. She was totally lifted off the ground by him now. She felt the pleasure of him within her vaginal walls turn to pain as he pushed a little too hard, and then a lot too hard. ChiChi scrunched her eyes shut in surprise and felt a flare of fear rise up within her. She gripped at Goku's upper arm almost desperately, giving him a pleading look and shaking her head, trying to squirm off of his engorged penis. He growled her name under his breath and came inside of her, his teeth seeking out her throat. He bit her and tasted her blood, kissing her and frowning when her lip curled at the taste of it on his tongue. He slipped out of her, setting her back on the floor. He could see tears filming in her eyes, collecting at the corners, and spilling down her cheeks. They glittered in the sunlight. He felt sick with himself. He touched his forehead to hers, opening his mind to her so that she could see the violence in him, so that she could understand that he had to go away for a little while now.

"That is why I have to stay away ChiChi," he said, licking his lips and backing out of the kitchen. ChiChi stared at him.

"G-Goku! Get a grip! Come back here... this doesn't make any sense! Goku!"

ChiChi was out of luck. He'd IT'd away without another word. She punched the counter top and hopped around in surprised pain when she smashed her knuckles at slightly the wrong angle, sending a shock of pain up her arm. "SHIT!" She yelled, realizing that the soup was burning. She switched the stove off and cursed under her breath, muttering something about Goku. She felt her back aching deeply, and her knees trembling. She heard Gohan enter the house, quickly calling for her.

"Mom! What's all the noise about!?"

Goten ran in quickly, trying to catch Gohan by his arm. "No! Gohan! Leave mom alone right now!"

Gohan shook Goten off his arm and ran into the room, to his mother. He could smell the sex and his father's recent presence easily and clearly. He saw ChiChi leaning on the counter top for purchase. Her kimono was hanging open, her underwear half ripped, still clinging to one ankle. Ejaculate seeped from between her legs, mixed with red which could only be blood. The same colour stained her throat, and was smudged on the side of her lips where Goku had kissed her after biting her.

Gohan stared in shock and opened his mouth in horror, totally unprepared to say or do anything at all. He ran out of the house and took Goten with him, feeling nauseous. Goten was yelling at him to stop running so fast, and to let him down. Gohan let go of his little brother's arm and kept running, looking back to see if Goten was alright. He tripped over his own feet and skidded into the grass, greening his palms and the knees of his pants. Gohan laid where he was, frowning at the grass, while Goten pushed himself to his feet some metres behind him.


	32. Ch31

Scars - Chapter 31

Videl put her students through a rigorous session of training, and most of them were not having fun anymore by the time she was finished. She sighed and firmly told her class that they were well on their way to becoming as strong as her father, who was, of course (rolls eyes) the strongest man in the world. This cheered them marginally, but the ten boys and girls were very glad when she finally dismissed them for the day.

The black-haired young woman watched the poor hurting group flee her presence with a scowl on her face. Gohan, Gohan, Gohan.... the word trekked a track in her thoughts - worry over him, frustration at his silly conduct - he was making her nuts. She'd barely slept a wink, and moreover, she'd spent all that time awake wondering if he was ok, and being jealous that some random guy had whisked him wordlessly away from her before he could explain why he'd been so screwed up the night before.

Well, that was just about enough of that. Her best friend had no reason to freak out and run away from her like he had, and she was going to go and get the truth straight from the horse's mouth if she had to beat it out of said horse with her newly learned Kamehameha move.

Videl pulled a sweat towel over her shoulders and mopped her damp forehead with the end of it, exiting the training room to her personal shower and change area. She cleaned up and changed into a pair of black sweat pants and a comfortable red t-shirt. She put on some socks and sneakers, and a pair of black sweatbands on her wrists. Deeming herself presentable, she ran her fingers thoughtlessly through her short black hair and made sure there was nobody around to see her as she went to the roof of the building and took to the sky.

Videl landed in the long grass that comprised the Son's front lawn a little while later. She was drawn curiously closer to the house when she discovered that the front door was wide open, and as she drew nearer she could hear ChiChi talking to herself in a small voice. Peering into the door presented Videl with a totally foreign image: ChiChi was scooping huge amounts of food into the garbage. Something was wrong... Oh something was very, very wrong indeed. It had to be. The Son family did not throw food away, ever, not for any reason, under any circumstance.

A quick search of ki showed that Gohan and Goten were not too far away, and that Goku was not in her range. Videl's abilities to work with energy didn't extend all the way around the world like Gohan's or Goku's - she could only feel energies within several hundred miles of her position at any particular time. Videl knocked on the open door, clearing her throat.

"Hey ChiChi.... is everything ok?"

ChiChi looked up, ostensibly startled from her thoughts. She straightened with what was evident stiffness, and bit her lip, trying to smile for her guest. Videl came into the little kitchen and took the pot out of ChiChi's hands, setting it on the counter top. She looked the woman over, and caught the tremor in her fingertips and the blood smeared on her cheek out of the corner of her eye. She moved forwards and wrapped ChiChi in a rare hug.

Videl wasn't sure if this would be a good action or a bad one, but it seemed profoundly necessary at the moment. ChiChi stiffened further, then collapsed against Videl and let silent tears run down her cheeks, her eyes squeezed tightly shut. She bit her lips to try and keep from sobbing, not because she was the sort of woman who didn't cry - this _is _ChiChi we're talking about here - but because she _was _the sort of woman who thought it uncomfortable to talk openly about family problems. She preferred to bury them, climb on top, and wait for something to hatch out of the mess below.

Videl held ChiChi tightly and stroked her back. She could see that ChiChi was somehow hurt, her movements were stiff and seemed to cause her quite a measure of pain. She led ChiChi out of the kitchen and into the living room, where she guided the woman into a chair. ChiChi sat, but only very gingerly, and she leaned heavily on Videl, even after she got herself under veritable control and accepted some tissues to pat her face dry with.

Videl put her arm around ChiChi's shivering shoulders and pulled the pin from her hair, letting it down so she could stroke it for the poor woman. She'd never noticed the streaks of grey at her temples before... or perhaps she had, but they hadn't really registered. She wondered at ChiChi's real age; 45 maybe? It was hard to tell. Since Goku looked much younger than he really was, Videl was guessing based mostly on Gohan and Goten's ages.

"ChiChi what happened to you?" Videl asked carefully, looking into the woman's face, seeing lines etched softly into her pale flesh and again wondering at her age.

ChiChi shook her head, putting her face in her hands and rubbing it thoroughly. Her hands were calloused, her knuckles bony from working forever and ever and never taking a day at the spa to relax. She put her hands back in her lap and smiled distantly.

"Videl I'm alright honey, sometimes things just get a little out of hand around here. You don't need to worry about it,"

"Oh ChiChi don't give me that, you're not perfectly alright, you're shaking like a leaf."

"There isn't anything you can do."

"I can listen..."

"Videl...."

"Please ChiChi, yield to me just a little... tell me what happened that's got you like this."

"Its j-just.... just Goku... .... ..." ChiChi bit her lip hard, looking at the doorway, where sunlight crept smoothly into the kitchen and painted the floor the colour of dandelions and daffodils. "You won't understand Videl... its because he's not human I think. S-sometimes he... gets like that.... only once in awhile.... its really isn't his fault."

"Did he hurt you ChiChi?" Videl was playing back to the night before, to Gohan's creepy countenance trying to power down, to the guilty look on his face afterward, when he'd regained his control over himself. Videl scowled helplessly, her fingers curling into a fist as she too stared into the sunlight in the next room. ChiChi didn't seem to be able to answer her. She was shaking her head and grabbing up a fresh tissue to blow her nose into.

"It isn't his fault Videl... I'm not as strong as I used to be... he... he was just a little bit rough. He's going away for a little while I think.... he'll come back and things will be ok again, and he will be sweet and gentle and very, very sorry for it. If you could just help me to the bathroom... run me a bath. A warm bath... and get some fresh clothes for me, and I'll finish cleaning up in the kitchen, and everything will be fine. I've got to find out how Gohan's eye exam went... I need to start lunch over again, I should do some groceries, and teach Gohan to cook like I was going to.... He's going to be moving out soon.... I think its time he had a place to himself, to learn to take care of himself, by himself. My little boy..." ChiChi shivered with a miserable look on her face, her long black hair sticking to her cheeks where it was wet from her tears. Videl brushed it out of her face and smiled very sadly at ChiChi, feeling that there was a great injustice here, and also knowing that there was very little that she could do to change it. Even if she did do something, it was highly unlikely that anything would change. It seemed that ChiChi didn't want anything to change.

Videl picked ChiChi up damsel in distress style, glad for Gohan's teachings, because she was very strong now, and it was easy to pick up the thin creature that was Son ChiChi and carry her up the stairs to the bathroom. Videl let ChiChi sit on the toilet. She plugged the tub and began to run a warm bath for her. She pulled the pink robe from the back of the door and helped ChiChi undress part of the way. She wrapped the robe around the woman's small shoulders and left the room to get her some clothes from the master bedroom.

While Videl was getting fresh clothing, ChiChi changed out of the rest of her clothes and wrapped the robe around herself, feeling very scared when she saw a small bit of blood between her legs. That hadn't happened before... well not from sex, anyhow. She felt so confused... She knew Goku loved her deeply. She knew it completely, so that she didn't doubt it in the slightest. But there was a part of him which was completely incompatible with humans, too, and she was scared of that part of him. In the years since he had returned from the dead Goku had been a sweet and gentle creature, he had been an especially loving husband and father, he had been around much more than before he'd died... in essence he was perfect. Except for the times when he would get like this, and go away for awhile. Last time he'd gone for about a week. The time before that it was a month or so... it depended on how long he needed. When she asked him about it, he had a hard time talking about it. That wasn't unusual, Goku was not too strong in the articulation department. But she could see in is mind's eye that he went to spend some time living in the roughest parts of the world, that he refused food and sleep and was an utterly violent animal to any and all who encountered him. As if he saved up the scary inhuman qualities in himself and let them out all at once. It always ended the same way. He always grew weak from hunger and eventually passed out somewhere. By various circumstances, he would come back to his family, and little would be said of it.

Goten's emphatic sense helped ChiChi understand a little bit what was going on inside her husband, and her mental connection to him helped as well. ChiChi only hoped that Gohan would somehow not find out exactly what happened... she feared that at this point, her son would really hurt his father. Based on how they acted towards one another lately....well... she wouldn't put it past him.

Videl came back into the room with fresh clothing for ChiChi. She set the clothes on the counter and retrieved a pair of fluffy terrycloth towels from the linen closet, and a face cloth. She tossed the face cloth into the warm water and turned the taps off, testing the temperature of the water with her fingertips and deeming it pleasantly warm. She looked to ChiChi, who was obviously lost in thought.

"Alright ChiChi, you can climb in, I'm gonna close the door over and stick around for awhile. I know you're a grown woman, but just the same I really don't think you should be alone right now, so don't be too upset if I come ask how you're doing in awhile, ok? And as much as this is your house, I'm going to go downstairs and clean up and start some lunch. I'm not the best cook, but I can make soup and sandwiches for Gohan and Goten and you and I. I'm gonna go ahead and guess that Goku won't be joining us for lunch today.... just relax and try to enjoy your bath, alright? Just one more question ChiChi.... do you think you need to see a doctor.... I mean... are you physically hurt... bleeding or anything?"

ChiChi frowned. "I think I'm alright Videl... I can take care of myself... thanks for all your help. You can go now."

Videl gave the long-haired woman another look, nodding finally and heading out of the room to finish what ChiChi had started downstairs.


End file.
